Xavi Hernandez, manager of Barcelona, described his job as a "thankless task" at the press conference ahead of the La Liga blockbuster game, "El Clasico," against Real Madrid at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.

Both Barca and Real have 22 points after eight games in the Spanish top league. Barca are leading the standings table over Real with a goal difference advantage. However, compared with Real, which have secured early qualification for the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, Barca only hold theoretical hope for the next phase of the tournament after the 3-3 draw against Inter Milan at Camp Nou on Wednesday.

Barca's performance and Xavi's rotations in that game have faced a lot of criticism. His decision to keep Gerard Pique on the field for the whole game and replace Rafinha at the 64th minute as well as his refusal to give Frenkie de Jong a bigger role were all partly behind the disappointing result against Inter.

"I understand it [criticism], I know where I am," Xavi said at the press conference on Saturday. "We slipped up when we could not afford to slip up. If there is one quality I have, it's empathy and I understand the fans are sad and disappointed. I am as well."

"We have improved since we took over the team. In terms of results, it's a shame the dip against Inter, because we were doing well. But we are top of La Liga, haven't lost and the season so far gives me reasons to be optimistic," he added.

Xavi took over Barcelona from Ronald Koeman in November 2021 and led the club to achieve a record of 28 wins, 11 draws and 10 losses. They were the runners-up in La Liga last season, though they trailed the champions Real by 13 points.

"When I don't feel I can provide the solutions, I will step aside and go home. I will not be a problem for Barca. But at the moment, I am optimistic. It's early in the project and we are on the right path," Xavi said. "Being Barca coach is a thankless task. It's better to be a player than a coach here, especially ahead of games like Sunday's. I have told the players that. These are the games to step up in, for players and coaches."

The good news for Xavi is that the last time he led Barca to play against Real on March 20, they won 4-0. Having spent over 150 million euros during the summer transfer window to acquire quality players like Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, both Xavi and Barca have good reasons to be confident in themselves against Real on Sunday.

"There are options [to deal with Vinicius] and we will decide on Sunday. But it's not just about Vinicius, it's [Karim] Benzema, [Fede] Valverde, Rodrygo, the midfield... It's a huge game and Madrid are a great team with a strong block. It's not about stopping Vinicius but stopping Madrid as a collective," Xavi said.

"The Clasico is a great opportunity for us. It's a vital game for both teams. We want to strengthen our grip on top spot. It's a challenge and a chance to change chip. Seasons are graded when they finish, although [results in the Champions League] have not been good at all. We don't like the disappointment we're feeling but I am still optimistic. The team is desperate to win things this season. We have to keep working hard, it's the only path to success," he added.