Xavi eyes another Super Cup-inspired Barca revival

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez hopes winning the Spanish Super Cup will be the turning point that revives their La Liga title challenge as it did last season.

Barcelona had won only nine of their first 20 league games when they beat Real Madrid 3-1 in last year's Super Cup final and Xaxi's team won nine of their next 10 matches on the way to topping the final standings by 10 points.

Barca are currently third in the table, seven points behind leaders Real Madrid, and need a lift after a sobering home LaLiga loss to Girona last month.

"Of course, we want to repeat that," the manager told reporters on Wednesday ahead of Barcelona's Super Cup semi-final against Osasuna on Thursday in Riyadh.

"The tournament last year was really good to face the second half of the season. I hope we get that turning point this season as well that the team needs to win morale and confidence."

Osasuna, who qualified for the Super Cup as 2022-23 Copa del Rey finalists, are 12th in the league and have not beaten Barcelona since 2020.

"We can't make any mistakes because we'll face the highest of consequences," Xavi said.

"Obviously, we are favourites because we are Barca, but it's a knockout match and we need to show that we deserve to be in the final."

The Super Cup final will take place on Sunday, with Barcelona or Osasuna to face the winners of Wednesday's Madrid derby between Real and Atletico.