Xavi on Napoli draw: I am sad but this is the path to follow
The Barcelona coach praised his team's performance but not their missed chances
Xavi Hernandez says Barcelona let Napoli off the hook after squandering a host of chances in Thursday's 1-1 draw against Napoli in the Europa League.
Ferran Torres' second-half penalty cancelled out Piotr Zielinski's opener but Barca could not find a winner despite ending the game having had more than 20 shots.
Barca, who are playing in Europe's secondary competition for the first time since 2004, travel to Naples for the second leg next week.
"The only thing lacking was taking our chances," Xavi said in his post-game news conference. "We created over 20, six or seven of them really good.
"The sensations are good after an excellent performance but I am sad to have missed so many opportunities, but this is the path to follow. We let them off the hook because we deserved to win the game.
"I am happy with how we played and how we are improving, but this is the Europa League. It's not a friendly. Results count, not sensations.
Despite scoring the penalty to earn a draw, Torres, a €55 million January signing from Manchester City, was particularly culpable of missing a string of good openings.
"The same happened to Luis Suarez," Xavi added. "The Barca shirt weighs that little bit more and even Suarez struggled to score goals in his first few months here.
"Ferran has a lot of personality and he showed that to take the penalty. He was good -- look at how he made the chances. I am delighted to have him.
"I have no doubt the goals will go in. It's just a question of time and faith. It shouldn't affect him because he is strong and self-demanding, for that reason he is angry but it won't affect him."
The game also saw Ousmane Dembele make his first appearance at Camp Nou of 2022 following a stalemate over his contract, with his current terms due to expire in June.
Barca told him to find a new club in January but the transfer window closed with him still at the club and supporters whistled him when he came on in the second half.
"They jeered him but in the end that transformed it into applause," Xavi said. "He was creating chances and I think that's really the news: the whistles turned into applause."
