Xavi: Gerard Pique wants to play on Thursday
The coach said the defender has been struggling with a while but wants to force the issue
Xavi Hernandez spoke to the media on Saturday ahead of the clash with Levante in Valencia on Sunday night.
The Blaugrana drew 1-1 against Eintracht Frankfurt in the week and face the 19th team in La Liga before the second leg of their Europa League clash.
They have won six in a row in the top flight, including beating Sevilla and Real Madrid in the last two.
Gerard Pique will be missing for the weekend clash after suffering a thigh problem but the coach says he wants to force his way back for the second Frankfurt game.
“He doesn’t have an injury in itself. He’s had problems for a couple of months and is making a Titanic effort. In Frankfurt he said, enough, he’s out tomorrow and we’ll see about Thursday. He wants to force it, we’ll see, but I hope he can.”
On Ousmane Dembele and his renewal, Xavi said he couldn’t add much, but could praise him for his football: “There are few players of his level, he’s professional, he looks after himself, he’s loved within the squad, he’s positive, I have no complaints, he works in defence, recovers the ball.
“He dribbles and then sets up goals, he associates well, he has to keep doing it. The qualities, he’s got them, he’s key in the group.”
