Barcelona director praises teenage gem, aims sly dig at Xavi ahead of Inter Milan clash | OneFootball

FC Barcelona are minutes away from kicking off the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Inter Milan at San Siro.

The Catalan giants will attempt to reach the final for the first time since 2015, when they lifted the trophy after beating Juventus in Berlin.

Ahead of the crucial match, Barcelona sporting director Deco spoke to Movistar (h/t SPORT), where he gave his two cents about the game as well as the La Liga title race.

“A Champions League semi-final is always different to any other game. These are decisive days, but right now we are focused on being in the final. We’ll talk about the league later,” he stated confidently.

When asked about Lamine Yamal, Deco was clear: “We know what he can do and his maturity, but the match will be decided by the team.”

Lamine Yamal could be the difference maker. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Reflecting on the team’s progression since last season, Deco emphasised the key changes, with his response carrying a hint of a subtle dig at former manager Xavi Hernandez.

“We had won the league and last season we reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League,” he noted before suggesting that the team needed to make some internal changes, including changing the manager.

“We knew that by improving the coach and with some internal changes we could improve and that’s what happened,” said Deco.

While he, like much of the Barça community, is full of praise for Hansi Flick, Deco avoided any discussion of a contract renewal:

“This is not the time to talk about a contract, it’s about playing today and then we’ll see.”