Barcelona's head coach, Xavi Hernandez, expressed his happiness with his team's victory on Wednesday against Deportivo Linares, which secured their advancement to the Round of 16 in the Copa del Rey. The team managed to turn around a goal deficit against the third-division side, Linares Deportivo, winning 2-1 thanks to goals from French substitute, Ousmane Dembélé, and Ferran Jutglà in the 63rd and 69th minutes.
After the match, Xavi stated in comments reported by "Marca": "It's an important victory because we qualified for the next round." He emphasized, "We struggled a bit in the first half; we were better in the second half. The pitch was narrow, and that was obvious." He added, "I told the players after halftime that we needed to win and seize our opportunities, and we succeeded in qualifying."
Regarding Dembélé's future, whose contract with the Catalan team ends at the end of the current season, Xavi mentioned, "I spoke with Ousmane Dembélé about football, and he managed to score and make a difference, as he performed well individually. As for the renewal of his contract, there is nothing new on that matter." He concluded: "It was a tough day, and everyone expected a win, but football is not like that; we need to benefit from positive emotions."
