Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said on Saturday that his club is the most difficult in the world to manage because their critics are always ready to snipe at them, even after big wins.
Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 1-0 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final at the Santiago Bernabeu on Thursday, but were chastised for having only 34% possession.
Xavi claimed that the demands on his team to play good football while also winning games and lifting trophies made his job more difficult than any other in the game.
“You beat Real Madrid 1-0 and it seems that it’s not convincing enough, whereas if it was the reverse there would be a national party,” Xavi told reporters.
“So it is the hardest club in the world. Now you believe me? I said it last year and got bashed for it.
“At Barcelona, you have to win and convince, to have 70 per cent of possession and create 16 chances while the opponent makes three.
“That is the objective, and that is our objective, but you have to understand that there is an opponent who is the reigning La Liga and European champions, and we’re competing with them.”