From the first moment, Xavi He considered that he was doing the team a good thing by announcing that after the end of this season he would not continue in Barcelona. More than a farewell, it sounded like a deferred resignation, because his words came after a tough 5-3 home defeat against Villarreal. It was the last days of January and Barcelona had accumulated in a couple of weeks a win by Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup, the elimination in the Copa del Rey against Athletic Bilbao and that defeat against Villarreal that derailed it in the Spanish league. .
All the ingredients of one came together crisis, so that Xavi would take a step aside that the leaders would never have dared to ask him for because he was a glory of the club as a player. And also because in the previous season he had helped the club’s difficult transition, mired in economic hardship, with the conquest of the league and the Spanish Super Cup.
Xavi was convinced that his I’m leaving, but I’ll stay a little longer It would relieve the pressure on his players, initially surprised by the technical director’s decision. They conspired to improve and prevent Xavi from becoming a martyr with a sentencing date set. A month and a half later, events are proving him right: the team took a turn in terms of results and this Tuesday they achieved one as necessary as someone who finds water crossing the desert.
Waiting to return at the end of the year to a renovated Camp Nou, being a local in Montjuic, won 3 to 1 to Napoli and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Champions League. The classification is important in sports, the authorities also celebrate the economic success of the 15 million euros who will enter for having been among the eight best in Europe.
Highlights of Barcelona 3 vs. Barcelona Napoli
Since Xavi took office, Barcelona is undefeated, with six wins and three draws. After four years returns to the quarterfinals of the Champions League. His last foray through this stage, in 2020, brings him back to a resounding slap: the 8-2 de Bayern. A defeat that caused Lionel Messi sent the famous burofax to leave, but finally Barcelona asserted other contractual rights so that he could complete the remaining year of his contract. Messi, reluctantly, continued and in 2021 Barcelona was eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16. Already with the Rosario in PSG, Barça did not go beyond the group stage of the Champions League in 2022 and 2023. The resurgence was this season, although its irregular performance does not position it as one of the favorites to win the Orejona that it won for last time in 2015 with the Messi-Suárez-Neymar trident.
The victory over Napoli x-rayed what Barcelona is in terms of football. Passages of good play, with spark and depth, to lead 2-0 before 20 minutes of the first half were up, and others of disorientation and defensive weakness, which made it possible for Napoli to score and put them in trouble. The Italian team, immersed in a floundering season, with two changes of coach, was undefeated in four games, including a stimulating victory over Juventus, since he led it. Francesco Calzonaformer collaborator of Luciano Spalletti, the coach of obtaining the scudetto last season, the first since the time of Diego Maradona. The owner and president of Napoli, the film producer Aurelio De Laurentiishad promised a prize of 10 million euros to the team if they qualified.
Emerging from La Masía, Xavi is committed to youth trained in the youth system. Injuries decimated the line of midfielders with the losses of Pedri, Gavi and Frenkie De Jong. He gave rise to Fermin Lopezof 20 yearsauthor of the 1-0, after a center behind Raphinha what Robert Lewandowski He let it pass so that he could reach his companion.
In the central back, Xavi made his debut in the Champions League Pau Cubarsi, of 17 years, and left the experienced Iñigo Martínez on the bench. What stands out about Cubarsí is his personality and his strength in individual duels. In his first big test he did well in the head-to-head with the Nigerian Victor Osimhenscorer of the goal in the 1-1 draw in the first leg and top scorer in the conquest of the scudetto. The boy was distinguished as MVP of the game by UEFA. “It has been one of the best days of my life”he expressed, with the distinction in his hands.
Up front, the presence of Lamine Yamal, of 16 years and, lying on the right, owner of a difficult to read dribble for rivals. Barcelona went 2-0 with a goal João Cancelowho took the rebound off a shot from Raphinha on a post.
The local team dominated and had a calm game, but became concerned with the discount Amir Rahmaniwho took advantage of a center behind Giovanni Di Lorenzo. Xavi’s team no longer felt so confident and in the second half he went through some difficulties, although he also continued to insist on attack, as reflected in his 24 shots (ten to the bow). Relief came only with the 3-1, achieved by Lewandowski, who with 94 goals In the Champions League he is third in the competition’s all-time table, behind Cristiano Ronaldo (141) and Messi (129).
Happy and satisfied, Barcelona awaits the draw next Friday to find out the rival. Meanwhile, Xavi, going against the flow and against what the manuals indicate, rescued Barcelona when he was beginning to sink. “I already said that would give [los jugadores] one step forward with my march at the end of the season. “People didn’t believe me and said I was going to lose the locker room,” the coach reaffirmed his unorthodox formula, after taking a crucial step in Europe.
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