Xavi keen to put Barca’s Champions League blues behind to focus on El Clasico

Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez said the club has no time to stew over Wednesday’s 3-3 Champions League draw with Inter Milan as itd attention must be fully focused on the upcoming ‘El Clasico’ against arch-rival Real Madrid.

Barcelona started strongly against Inter but defensive errors saw it trail 3-2 in the closing minutes before Robert Lewandowski’s stoppage-time equaliser secured the draw.

“Today the game was under control and in the 50th minute there was a very, very clear defensive error,” Xavi told reporters. “Then there’s the second mistake and in the end the team has paid dearly for them.

“Perhaps in LaLiga there may be a mistake and you don’t pay so dearly, but the Champions League doesn’t forgive…

“We hope that it does not affect us psychologically and we encourage the players. We continue believing and prepare for the Clasico starting tomorrow and we need to recover well because we have made a significant physical effort.”

Barca tops LaLiga on goal difference ahead of Madrid, with both teams on 22 points. The two sides face each other at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.