Barcelona’s coach, Xavi, acknowledges Napoli’s progress under Francesco Calzona and expresses a desire to witness Stanislav Lobotka’s inclusion in the Catalan squad.

In the upcoming Champions League Round of 16 second leg against Napoli, Xavi shared insights during a pre-match press briefing, emphasizing his expectations from both teams.

“I expect a proud Napoli that build up from the back press high with no speculation. They have high individual quality,” the former Spanish international remarked, as reported by Mundo Deportivo.

“Napoli’s three attacking players are of high level. It’s a big game against a big club, the defending Italian champions.”

“There are no favourites, it’s 50-50. The crowd must support us and think the stadium must be like a pressure cooker. We must show our identity and have personality.

Acknowledging Napoli’s advancements under a new coach, Xavi remarked, “They have improved with a new coach, they are more dynamic. We are dealing with important injuries, but we must compete. We were better than them in Naples and must be better here,”

Xavi identified tomorrow’s match as pivotal for Barcelona’s season. “It is, but we are ready, with confidence. We haven’t played in the quarter-finals for four years. We face a team that is not in the best moment but won the title last season. We need a packed stadium.”

Reflecting on past encounters against top clubs like Real Madrid and Atletico, Xavi stressed the need for a similar performance with improved efficacy in scoring.

The ambiance at Barcelona’s “new” stadium has been a subject of debate this season, lacking the intimidating aura of Camp Nou currently undergoing redevelopment. “Montjuïc must replicate the atmosphere of Camp Nou, packed with fans serving as our 12th player,” Xavi emphasized.

Assessing Napoli’s key players and potential threats to Barcelona, Xavi expressed admiration for their attacking trio, including Politano, Kvara, and Osimhen, along with their defensive abilities. He particularly praised Lobotka for his adeptness in the build-up play and retention of possession, expressing his desire to see him at a club like Barcelona.

Barcelona secured a 1-0 victory over Mallorca while Napoli settled for a 1-1 draw against Torino on Friday. Currently placed third in La Liga, Barcelona trails eight points behind league leaders Real Madrid.

Stanislav Lobotka

This season he played in total 7 times for 578 minutes for Champions League.

Stanislav Lobotka didn’t score any goal for Napoli. He procured no assists. He received no yellow cards and no red cards.

His team is currently 7th in Champions League. In the last match Napoli drew 1-1 against Torino.

Napoli performance and stats

Napoli is currently 2nd in the Champions League with 10 points.

In the last 7 games, it has won 3 times, drawn twice, and lost twice. In its last match, Napoli drawn 1-1 against FC Barcelona.​​

It has a positive goal difference after scoring 10 goals and conceding 9.​

Napoli will play the next match in Champions League against FC Barcelona on Tuesday 12th of March in Barcelona. The prediction is FC Barcelona winning the match.​

FC Barcelona performance and stats

FC Barcelona is currently 1st in the Champions League with 12 points.

In the last 7 games, it has won 4 times, drawn once, and lost twice. In its last match, FC Barcelona drawn 1-1 against Napoli.​​

It has a positive goal difference after scoring 12 goals and conceding 6.​

FC Barcelona will play the next match in Champions League against Napoli on Tuesday 12th of March in Barcelona. The prediction is FC Barcelona winning the match.​