Winning Betis means meeting the “minimum objective” of the season, which is none other than qualifying for the next edition of the Champions League. It’s the one they traced to Xavi Hernandez when Barça traveled to Qatar to hire him and it has not yet been achieved. The visit to Villamarín provides “an opportunity for another” to seal it. One more, after those that have been wasted in recent weeks such as the infamous defeats against Cádiz and Rayo Vallecano at the Camp Nou.
Barça is trying to secure that goal, but along the way it achieved another. Win 0-4 at the Bernabéu. A result that, in addition to being spectacular in itself, has gained value with Madrid qualifying for the Champions League final. Where PSG lost, Chelsea was eliminated and Manchester City succumbed, this Barça walked.
the way of the future
“We have shown the leg of what we can become”, reflected Xavi, of that win and other meritorious victories of his team. The virtue of Barça, with respect to the other illustrious victims, was that “when we were able to finish them off, we finished them off”. The defect is that he has lacked the consistency to repeat and sustain that level for longer. The coach was left with the fact that he and his players “saw the path” that would have to be followed in the future.
“History says that if you forgive Madrid for 0-2 or 0-3, they have the capacity and some very good players to get up”, commented Xavi when comparing himself with the European victims of the white eleven. “It only meant three points, but unfortunately no title,” he lamented.
And it will have been worth nothing if the team is not among the top four beyond having shown the potential of a team that needs a lot of money and many reinforcements to qualify for all the titles next season. At the moment, he has yet to achieve the essential achievement of the current one. If he beats Betis, he secures the Champions League. There will be three games left (Celta, Getafe and Villarreal) to obtain second place, which provides participation in the Spanish Super Cup and a higher monetary prize for the league classification.
???? Xavi: “We have to try to be more effective, but we’re playing well” pic.twitter.com/pW3ohyUkNB
– FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) May 6, 2022
The necessary regeneration
Xavi is expectant before the capacity of the club to regenerate economically and sportingly. Even uneasy is the coach, who knows the internal difficulties, especially in the salary cap. The team cannot sign until it achieves an extraordinary income – the signing with CVC for the partial sale of television rights seems imminent – and it does not manage to empty the squad of the highest chips and the most unproductive footballers.
At the moment, the present looks better, although the calendar leads Barça to visit Betis, brand new champion of the Copa del Rey. Contrary to Atlético’s intention, which receives Madrid as League champion, Barça will the hall to Betis.
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“It is a sign of respect and sportsmanship. If we are not capable of showing those values to the children and the fans…”, reflected Xavi, who was in favor of doing it to Betis and consulted with the squad in Wednesday’s training. In Friday’s session he was unable to count on Marc André ter Stegen, with stomach discomfort.
???? Xavi: “The corridor is a sign of respect and sportsmanship” #BetisBarça pic.twitter.com/W2XjeU8bgr
– FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_cat) May 6, 2022
The goalkeeper could travel to Seville. Gerard Piqué will not do it, ruled out, so that he fully recovers from his discomfort in the adductor. Ansu Fati will play something more time than last Sunday in his gradual rehabilitation after the muscle injuries suffered.