Barcelona’s head coach, Xavi Hernandez, has urged Joao Felix to turn criticism from his former Atletico Madrid teammates into motivation as both teams prepare to face each other in La Liga on Sunday.
The Portuguese forward, currently on loan at Barcelona from Atletico Madrid, faced remarks from Atletico players, including Antoine Griezmann and Saul Niguez, who highlighted areas for improvement in Felix’s game.
Xavi believes that such criticism can serve as extra motivation for Felix, encouraging him to perform well against Atletico.
Despite a challenging period, Felix recently scored a goal against Porto in the Champions League, contributing to Barcelona’s qualification to the last 16.
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Barcelona loaned Felix from Atletico Madrid during the summer, and after a promising start, the player faced a dip in form.
Xavi expressed satisfaction with Felix’s recent performances, indicating that the player has adapted well to the team.
The coach hopes to build on the positive momentum gained from the Champions League victory and aims for more consistent performances in the upcoming matches.
Barcelona, currently fourth in La Liga, faces Atletico Madrid, who are third and level on points with Barcelona.
Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen remains sidelined due to back pain and will not be available for the weekend fixture.
Barcelona seeks to improve its performances and secure positive results in the league.
Atletico Madrid’s coach, Diego Simeone, acknowledged that traditionally, Barcelona and Real Madrid have a higher chance of winning, but he emphasized his team’s ongoing efforts to narrow the gap and compete against the traditional powerhouses in Spanish football.
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