FC Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has finally broken his silence on Illkay Gundogan slamming his own teammates after the loss to Real Madrid.
Gundogan was unhappy with his teammates' reaction in the dressing room after the 2-1 defeat to Los Blancos in the first El Clasico of the season.
Xavi has now admitted that he has no issue with the German midfielder's comments after the game but reveals cultural differences did play a part in the post-match interview.
Read: Barca star refuses to praise Bellingham after ElClasico loss
"Conforming is not part of Barcelona's DNA," Xavi said in a news conference ahead of Saturday's trip to Real Sociedad in LaLiga. "There is a demand for excellence and to win here.
"Gündogan's interview was spoken about within the dressing room, he clarified what he meant and there is no problem. No one has to tell us what the demands are at Barça -- especially me having spent my whole life at the club.
"We agree with Gündogan and don't see any controversy. We lost El Clásico because we made mistakes. There was a lack of concentration and we disconnected.
"He expressed the anger we all felt. I could have said it or someone else, but he did because his culture is perhaps different to ours.
"If you see the defeat Bayern [Munich] suffered the other day, the captain came out, [Thomas] Müller, and said something similar. It is cultural.
"There has been no controversy generated in our dressing room. We think the same as Gündogan. This is Barça. That's the level of demand and excellence here. That is how it is."
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