Barcelona legend and current manager Xavi Hernandez will lead his side to their first UEFA Europa League campaign since 2004 on Thursday, but the 42-year-old is far from impressed with Barcelona’s current predicament and felt angered by the UEFA Champions League anthem when he heard it on television on Tuesday.

Xavi’s frustration with Barcelona’s elimination in the group stages from this season’s Champions League was evident in his pre-match press conference on Wednesday.

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“The [Europa League] is an opportunity for us,” said the 42-year-old ahead of Barcelona’s home game against Napoli on Thursday.

“Our main aim is to get back in the Champions League next season and there are two ways to do that: Finish in the top four in LaLiga or win the Europa League,” Xavi added, highlighting his season objectives.

When asked about Barcelona’s Champions League elimination, Xavi said, “Of course we would like to be in the Champions League. It hurts that we’re not there. Hearing the Champions League music on television [on Tuesday] made me angry.”

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“But we’re in another competition. It is still a European competition. We’re not talking about the third division. It is a chance to keep growing and everyone is motivated to win a trophy that the club have never won before,” Xavi added, apparently in an attempt to downplay his irritation at not being in Europe’s most premier club football competition.

The Barcelona coach also evaded attempts by reporters to engage him in a discussion on Paris St Germain’s 1-0 victory over Real Madrid on Tuesday.

“Don’t talk to me about Mbappe,” snapped Xavi, adding, “He is a great player, as are Neymar and [Lionel] Messi and PSG and Madrid are great sides, but we’re not in that competition, unfortunately.”

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“It makes me angry, I’m very competitive, a winner, and I’m angry to have been knocked out of the Champions League, but we have to fix that. We have to be there. But don’t ask me about Mbappe,” he added.

As for his team’s home game against Italian side Napoli, Xavi said that Barcelona were “unlucky” with the Europa League draw: “Napoli are a Champions League-level side. It is going to be a difficult tie. I would not say we’re favourites [for the competition or the tie].”

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“It is an open draw. Napoli are one of the toughest teams in the competition and we have to play the second leg away from home next week. There are other teams, like Sevilla, in this competition with a lot of experience. We’re candidates, but I would not say favourites,” Xavi further said.

Barcelona host Napoli on Thursday without Dani Alves, Clement Lenglet, and Samuel Umtiti, while Ronald Araujo is also a doubt for the Catalans. The Serie A side, meanwhile, will travel to Camp Nou without Hirving Lozano, Matteo Politano, and Stanislav Lobotka.