On Wednesday, Xavi and Barcelona came from behind to beat Almeria 3-2 in La Liga. Unhappy with his players’ first-half performance, Xavi breaks down and sent out a strong message at his press conference.
After drawing with Valencia, Barça needed to respond at home if they were to reclaim third place on the podium. Xavi’s men did just that, taking third place from Atlético Madrid after their defeat by Getafe.
Xavi’s men struggled…
Despite being bottom of the table, Almería did not come to Catalonia to make up the numbers. Gaizka Garitano’s side kept Barça at bay for 30 minutes, even creating a number of chances through Baba Mohammed (12th) and Sergio Arribas (13th). But it was Barcelona who found the net first.
After an early scare from a corner (7th), Ronald Araújo catapulted the ball past the Almería keeper, who had no choice but to push the ball back into the path of Raphinha. Raphinha wasted no time in slotting the ball into the empty net (1-0, 33′). The Rojiblancos did not give up, however, and got back into the game after a misalignment in the Blaugrana defence, Leo Baptistão going solo to crucify Iñaki Peña (1-1, 41st), just after Robert Lewandowski had missed the chance to make it 2-0 (37th).
With two changes made at half-time, Barcelona’s instructions were clear: pound their opponents’ goal. As in the first half, a corner saved Barça’s attack, and Sergi Roberto was on hand at the near post to head home a well-struck cross that left Luis Maximiano stunned (2-1, 60′).
Xavi shakes up his players
And as in the first half, Almería came back thanks to a defensive error by the Blaugrana, with Edgar González taking advantage of the interplay between Araújo and Peña to bring the Rojiblancos level (2-2, 71st). But once again Sergi Roberto pounced on a one-man rush to give his side the lead for good (3-2, 83rd).
After the match, Xavi had this to say. “The first half was unacceptable, I told the players at half-time. We lacked efficiency, but we must have aggression and soul. As a coach, I don’t accept that. Either we run like hell or we can’t do it (…) Either we give it our all or we won’t win anything. We have to wake up. If not through football, then through our souls. You can win or lose, but you need soul. Out of respect for the club and the crest, we have to give our all, which wasn’t the case in the first half,” lamented the Spanish coach.
Xavi’s seat under threat?
For the club’s directors, the fault does not lie exclusively with the players and the choices made by the club’s top brass. Xavi may also be to blame…
The Catalan giants may well consider parting company with Xavi. The Spanish coach, who has been linked with Barcelona since the start of his playing career, no longer enjoys unanimous support in Catalonia. According to CADENA COPE, the club’s sporting directors have already identified a potential replacement in the event of his departure. The Spanish media outlet goes so far as to claim that it would be Rafa Marquez, the coach of Barcelona’s reserves.
In short, the Barça management would not need to look far to find the ideal coach for the future. It would have to be someone capable of restoring the Blaugrana to their former glory.
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