Barcelona were held to a goalless draw by Getafe in the weekend, and Xavi Hernandez took many by surprise in his post-match press conference. Among the reasons thatexplained the tie, the coach mentioned the sun.
“The match schedule? We’re used to playing without the sun, to playing at night,” Xavi said. “But we have to get used to it, next Sunday we will play again at this time, I don’t want it to sound like an excuse but we have to adapt.”
Only a day later, Carlo Ancelotti was asked about Xavi’s comments in his pre-game conference ahead of the Champions League clash between Real Madrid and Chelsea. Here’s what he had to say.
Ancelotti says the sun is not an excuse
“For us, the most important thing is to play football,” Ancelotti said. “I honestly believe that there are teams that are more used to playing in the afternoon than at night, but there’s a calendar that demands you to play at different times. You always have to be prepared”.
While it wasn’t exactly a jab at the Barcelona coach, Carletto did make it clear he would never complain about the sun. And he has a point, professional teams have to adapt to play at different times of the day.
Martin O'Donnell is a bilingual sports writer fluent in English and Spanish, currently serving as the Managing Editor of World Soccer Talk while continuing in his role as Managing Editor of Bolavip. He began his journey with Bolavip in February 2021, making a name for himself through comprehensive coverage of multiple sports, including soccer, with a specialty in original content and real-time reporting of major events such as the World Cup and UEFA Champions League finals. In June 2024, Martin took on the role of Subeditor, where he excelled in overseeing the publication of stories, assisting staff writers, and ensuring content quality. His prior experience includes managing social media for CONMEBOL Libertadores and Sudamericana in English and Spanish, as well as reporting on Brazilian soccer for Sambafoot. In May 2025, Martin became Managing Editor of Bolavip, where he leads the team, drives the website's growth, and oversees content focused on sports news, analysis, interviews, and exclusive coverage. In November 2026, he expanded his editorial responsibilities by joining World Soccer Talk as Managing Editor, bringing his extensive experience in sports journalism and editorial leadership to the role.
