Jordi Alba feels extremely proud of his former colleague and new manager Xavi for helping change the entire vibe at Barcelona.
Jordi Alba explained how Xavi Hernandez’s arrival at Barcelona has provided “extra motivation” for all the players to perform at their best.
The Catalan club grabbed their first win under the new head coach as they beat Espanyol in a derby game in La Liga on Saturday.
Next up for the Blaugrana is a meeting with Benfica on Tuesday in the Champions League. And the preparations have already begun for Alba and his side.
Though, the Barca left-winger took time to reflect on the changes that were initiated by his former teammate and the new boss.
“It is an extra motivation to have him as a coach, at least for me,” Alba told reporters. “I will answer for him. We will do what we can to make him proud. That is the mission.”
“[His] activities before training are very fun. They make us bond. The training sessions are being very fun and very demanding. We are happy.”
“There have been changes, but I do not want to detract from those who have been before.”
“In the end, the easiest thing is to fire the coach. When things are not going well, the players are also to blame. A change of coach is not pleasant, but we are fine with Xavi.”
“He has emphasized talking with everyone, especially with those who did not play. That is positive for the whole team to get back to get hooked and let us believe in ourselves again.”
“He’s upbeat. He’s a very positive guy. I think he encourages us more than the other way around.”