Xavi Hernandez says Barcelona are working against the clock to be able to compete with Real Madrid next season after securing second place in LaLiga on Sunday.
A goalless draw at Getafe was enough to seal second for Barca and a place in next season’s Spanish Supercopa, which will pocket them around €8 million.
However, the season has been disappointing overall. They are 12 points behind champions Madrid with one game to go and will end the campaign trophyless for the second time in three years.
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“This week we will start to plan,” Barca coach Xavi Hernandez said in his postgame news conference, as he acknowledged the need to strengthen over the summer. “We don’t have much time. We’re against the clock to make decisions. I know what we need to compete. The club know, [sporting director] Mateu Alemany knows and [sporting advisor] Jordi Cruyff knows [what I think].
“What we can do depends on our financial situation. If it’s good, I am optimistic we will compete because next season we have to be fighting for trophies.”
ESPN have previously revealed that Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen and AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie will join Barca on free transfers when their respective contracts expire at the end of June.
Sources have also confirmed Barca have an interest in signing Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski, who confirmed this weekend his desire to leave the German club for a new challenge.
To be as active as they want to be in the market, though, Barca may have to sell. Midfielder Frenkie de Jong has been earmarked as one player who could bring in a big fee, with Xavi keen to keep him, but realistic about Barca’s financial needs.
Barca’s second-placed finish represents a marked improvement from the position they were in when Xavi replaced Ronald Koeman as coach at Camp Nou in November.
At the time, Barca were ninth in the table, but while qualification for the Champions League and a second-placed finish demonstrates an improvement, Xavi says the standards must be higher next term.
“It’s not enough for Barca [to finish second and trophyless] and we know next season we have to demand more,” he added. “But given how things were in November, [we would have] signed for it.
“Now we have to assess things. We need to strengthen. Next season we must fight for trophies. We have to prepare well and be competitive.”
Sunday’s draw at Getafe was a game of few chances as both teams wrapped up their objectives, with Barca clinching second place ahead of Atletico Madrid and Getafe securing survival in the top flight.
“We always want to win, but the draw served us,” Xavi said. “The minimum demand at Barcelona is to be in the Supercopa. Now we can reflect on how things have gone since we took over the team.
“We have turned things around. I wanted to win a trophy, which we haven’t managed. But we stopped the rot. We played some great games. Now it’s about working on next season, but we also want to show that we can beat Villarreal in the final game next week.”
