Xavi defended by Carlo Ancelotti! Barcelona boss given backing by Real Madrid counterpart amid underwhelming La Liga form

Pressure has been mounting on Xavi after his Barcelona side struggled in recent weeks. Most recently, the Blaugrana dropped points to Rayo Vallecano, needing a late own goal to steal a scarcely-deserved draw. In response, Xavi took to the press to encourage his players to raise their levels.

In a press conference, the veteran manager asserted that Xavi won't have much difficulty getting his team back on track: "Xavi, like me, knows football very well, and there is criticism. Sometimes it can happen, but Xavi has the experience to manage all this. He knows the atmosphere (around Barca) and I think he has everything he needs to manage the situation."

After winning the league title last season, Xavi's side are already slipping out of contention this campaign. They are in fourth, and four points off the top — with a crucial fixture against second-placed Girona coming up next month. The manager has addressed their slow run of late, while there have been scattered reports of "crisis talks" at the Barca training ground in recent weeks.

The Blaugrana's fixture today will be crucial in their European future. A win against Porto would send the Blaugrana into the Champions League knockout stages for the first time in three years — and also likely see them top the group. Lose, though, and they will face a must-win contest at Antwerp on the final matchday.