Barca bank on better homework to overcome Galatasaray

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez urged his team not to repeat their mistakes from the first leg of their Europa League tie against Galatasaray, as they look to secure a quarter-final place on Thursday.

Barcelona were held to a 0-0 home draw last week despite bombarding Galatasaray with 14 goal attempts against only three from the Turkish side, who were indebted to 23-year-old Spanish goalkeeper Inaki Pena for several fine saves.

"It's a final for both of us, a complicated match because we didn't do our homework at home," Xavi told reporters on Wednesday.

"The first half of the first leg was not good, we didn't come out with intensity. Tomorrow is a final and we need to win in one of the stadiums where they cheer and shout the most.

"It's another test to prove that we can compete in Europe. We have to try to do what we already did in Naples."

Barca only salvaged a 1-1 home draw with Napoli in the first leg of their knockout stage playoff tie in February, beating the Italian side 4-2 in the return leg.

"I have the feeling that we will find ourselves in a match very similar to the first leg, with a medium or low block," Xavi added.

"We have to understand how to attack. In the first leg we understood it better in the second half. We also have to control their transition, the dead ball."

Unused to competing in Europe's second-tier club competition, the Barcelona boss said winning the Europa League could take them into Champions League next season.

"For us the main objective is to be in the Champions League," Xavi said.

"Now we are in the Europa League, which if we win it would give us access to the Champions League. We are very excited, even if it is the Europa League, we are looking forward to it".

(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in