Barcelona manager admits they got lucky against Villarreal

New FC Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez is the first to admit that Saturday night's victory against Villarreal was born out of luck. It was their first away victory this season in La Liga, and the former midfielder says that the hosts did not deserve to lose that match.

The match ended 1-3 in favour of the visiting Catalans, but Xavi thinks the scoreline does not reflect the real story that played out on the pitch. After the match, he said: "Villarreal did not deserve to lose today. It was a very close game. It is the game, of the three that I have managed, that we have dominated the least and have deserved to win the least.

Barcelona took the lead thanks to a Frenkie de Jong goal in the opening minutes of the second half. The hosts then pulled one back through Samuel Chukwueze, and looked like the stronger team throughout most of the second half. However, they were not able to capitalise on possession before Memphis Depay made them pay just two minutes before the end of regulation.

"We dominated less than I expected but in the end we found the goal from Memphis. We have played against a good team and we have defended well but they have scored the goal from a silly throw-in. They are three golden points," said Xavi.

Philippe Coutinho then gave Barcelona another goal late into stoppage time to seal the flattering final scoreline. Xavi is happy to take the three points, which now puts Barcelona up into seventh place on the table. However, he knows that they still have a lot to improve if they want to get into the Champions League spots.

"We have to play better. We have to dominate more, overcome the pressure ... but we are on the right track. We will give everything, it will not be for sacrifice and work. They are three vital points," he added, as quoted by Barca Blaugranes.

Xavi is on a mission to bring back Barcelona's glory days, something that he was a part of during the height of his playing career. His arrival has had a positive effect on the squad in La Liga so far, with the Blaugrana slowly inching back up the table. The Champions League is a different story however, with a must-win match against Bayern Munich standing in their way to the Round-of-16.