City won 2-1 as Rodrygo's opener for Real was canceled out by Nico O'Reilly and an Erling Haaland penalty - all before halftime.
Xabi remarked afterwards: “It was a very competitive match with different moments. We started strongly with Rodrygo's goal and a few other chances, but when you're not at your best mentally, in ten minutes they took the lead from very little, with the corner and the penalty. The team kept going right until the end and hasn’t lost face despite all the difficulties we’re facing, like injuries."
"The players gave it everything they had, and I have nothing to criticise today. I really value their attitude. We have to keep going. It's the Champions League. At the moment, the results aren't as good as we'd like.
"We're critical, we demand a lot of ourselves, and we understand the fans. We have to keep working hard. We believe we'll get through this because everything passes, and I'm convinced we can do it.”
On the home jeers, Xabi insists he accepts fans are angry at this stage of the season.
He continued: "It's normal. It's nothing new. It's not something that hasn't happened here when you don't win at home. There have been other times when they've supported and urged us on. They've given us the energy that people thought the team needed. We can understand why they whistle, and we have to accept it as normal because the demands here are so high.
"We want to turn things around, improve our mental and physical condition, and get the injured players back. There's still a long way to go. You paint it in a certain way, but we have to stay calm because it's a long process. What seems one way today may change in the not-too-distant future. The results are what they are. How you interpret them is another matter.”
On doubts around his position, Xabi added: “It's nothing new for coaches. You have to live with it, and when you're the coach of Real Madrid, you have to be prepared to face it bravely, responsibly and self-critically, knowing that things can change. Despite the result, I've seen positive things individually and collectively. Other things haven't gone so well, but we're still in it.”