Injuries no excuse against Napoli, says Barca coach Xavi

BARCELONA, March 11, 2024 (AFP) - Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said his team's injury woes are no excuse ahead of the clash with Napoli on Tuesday night in the Champions League.
The Catalans are aiming to reach the quarter-finals of the competition they last won in 2015, with the tie level at 1-1 after the first leg in Italy. Xavi is missing three key midfielders in Pedri, Gavi and Frenkie de Jong, as well as Ferran Torres and Alejandro Balde.
However the coach said his team could not use that as mitigation for failure and demanded a "magic night" at the club's temporary Olympic Stadium home on the city's Montjuic hill.
"It's the moment to be able to reach the quarter-finals, for four years we haven't got to the last eight of the Champions League, I see it as an opportunity," said the coach.