"We work a lot on the physical side. There are players with the red number, they are at the limit. To limit injuries, we have to control everything so that the players can be at their best. ." Xavi speaks before the match against Valencia.
The Barcelona coach, though, said he has no plans to make any major rotations against Los Che.
"For us, the match against Valencia is a final. If we win, we will put more pressure on Real Madrid."
However, Xavi has been touring more in recent weeks. And it was that rotation that brought us to a draw against Manchester United and three points against Almeria.
At the same time, it is clear that changes are needed when Barca have three players - Ousmane Dembele, Robert Lewandowski and Pedri - with muscle injuries.
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The Bundesliga midfielder dreams of moving to Real Madrid or Chelsea
Arriving from Toulouse in 2021, Kouadio Kone is one of the Bundesliga's highlights, having become a regular in Borussia Mönchengladbach's first team.
In particular, this season, Kone has played a central role in Daniel Farke's system, with 22 appearances in the league. His aggressiveness, play and ability to push the ball forward have made him a key figure in Gladbach's second line of attack.
Kone's combination with Christoph Kramer also created the perfect balance for Gladbach's midfield, helping the German team avoid having to come back despite a bad start to the season.
However, before his strong performance, Kone's future at Gladbach is increasingly under scrutiny. According to Christian Falk, the midfielder has cherished the dream of joining Real Madrid or Chelsea in the near future.
While that doesn't suggest Kone can leave Gladbach at the end of the season, it does indicate his desire to join Los Blancos in the long term.
Real Madrid themselves may need a midfield overhaul sooner rather than later. Indeed, their two veteran stars Luka Modric and Toni Kroos are at the end of their careers and even with new contracts they are unlikely to continue playing beyond 2024.
This is one of the reasons why Real Madrid are willing to play the waiting game to pursue Jude Bellingham. And given Kone's current situation at Gladbach, Los Blancos may well want to leave in 2024.
In fact, the Frenchman could be an interesting and beneficial replacement for Bellingham, as he has similar skills. However, this player must maintain a stable form in the Bundesliga if he wants to be considered by Real Madrid in the near future.
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