Dembele in Chelsea Barcelona to face Atletico Madrid

Barcelona coach, Xavi Hernandez, indicated today, Saturday, that the club decided to include Frenchman Othman Dembele for the team that faces Atletico Madrid, tomorrow, Sunday, despite not renewing his contract or accepting to leave the club during the winter transfer market, which led to him not being called up in my two matches. Athletic Bilbao and Alaves.

“We all gathered and made this decision. We can’t shoot in the feet. Osman can help us. He was very professional both when he played and when he wasn’t called up. We will use him when it’s appropriate,” Xavi said in the pre-match press conference on Sunday.

In response to a question about the possibility of receiving the French player negatively at the “Camp Nou”, Xavi replied that he understands that “Barca fans may be upset with the situation”, but he hopes “the ranks will converge and the team will be encouraged, as well as Dembele.”

With regard to the front line, Barcelona will also rely on Adama Traore and Aubameyang, the Catalan club’s last two deals in the winter transfer market.

“Adama and Aubameyang are in good physical shape, maybe Adama is a little better, because Auba has recovered from Covid recently,” Xavi said.

In addition, the Barcelona coach praised the work done by the club during the winter transfer market, which also included Ferran Torres and Dani Alves.

This week, Xavi was forced to exclude one of the four who will participate in the European League due to European competition regulations, and chose Alves.

The Catalan coach commented on this decision, saying, “I feel sorry for the decision. We chose Dani because of the position. We believe that the right-back is better covered from the front side.”

With regard to the match against Atletico Madrid, which, if won, would place Barcelona in the qualifying spots for the Champions League, Xavi considered it a “final match, a match with almost six points.”

And about Luis Suarez, the current Atleti and former Barcelona striker, he said that he deserves to be honored by the public, adding, “He is the best striker for Barcelona in the last 20 or 30 years, along with Eto’o. We have to receive him with all honor. There will be a standing ovation in his reception tomorrow.”

Barcelona, ​​ranked fifth with 35 points, faces Atletico, fourth with 36 points, in the 23rd round of the “La Liga” competition.