Xavi Hernández

[i_bleed_blaugrana]

90-10 on the players.

Only thing you can maybe fault Xavi for is not matching up and going 3 at the back at least in some point in the tie. A bit surprised he didnt but otherwise, he was fine.

Just a few underperformances last night. International break came at a shit time for us honestly and given the stakes of things and how many quote unquote finals we have had to play, there was bound to be off performances here and there and its a shame we chose this match to lay an egg. Garcia and his pen sold the tie for us pretty early imho, and while I usually dont like singling out a player, that was a massive mistake that really pushed the tie and the rest of the game in their favor before we even got a touch of the ball fr.

Not much you can do from that if you are Xavi, especially when the home advantage got turned into a neutral ground

 

[FCBfan22]

Xavi is at fault for:

a) Not realizing that we need FDJ next to Busquets in high intensity games, opting for teenage midfield, who have rarely played against an intense team together.

b) Playing Mingueza at RB.

c) Underestimating the opponent.

d) Not remembering that our seniors have massive folding potential during knockout games.

Other things are on players.

 

[Horatio]

Yes. The pitch was bad and it felt like playing away from home.

What? How do you know? How would pitch at Camp Nou be bad?

 

[Porque]

What? How do you know? How would pitch at Camp Nou be bad?

Coz the guy who let Frankfurt fans buy 30k tickets also paid the groundsman off to grow the grass an extra 2cm.

 

[Joan]

What? How do you know? How would pitch at Camp Nou be bad?

In the first match, not yesterday

 

[Horatio]

In the first match, not yesterday

Ok. But you wrote “it felt like playing away from home” which confused me since we were playing away from home.

 

[Joan]

Ok. But you wrote ?it felt like playing away from home? which confused me since we were playing away from home.

Yeah, should have made it clear. The pitch was bad in the first match and it felt like playing away from home in the second. Thought Xavi focused too much on that which while true was not that relevant.

 

[i_bleed_blaugrana]

Xavi is at fault for:

a) Not realizing that we need FDJ next to Busquets in high intensity games, opting for teenage midfield, who have rarely played against an intense team together.

b) Playing Mingueza at RB.

c) Underestimating the opponent.

d) Not remembering that our seniors have massive folding potential during knockout games.

Other things are on players.

A & B were match time decisions. Apparently Frenkie was sick and Dest had just gotten fitness and Xavi didnt want to risk it.

Dont see C at all. Not in his lineups, subs, mannerisms on the touch line and his words pre/post match.

D, Garcia & Auba were the main culprits last night. Cant really call new signings senior players. If anything, last night proved how big Pique has been for us back there as we certainly have looked shaky without him recently, and he has been the main senior that is typical the scapegoat when we lose like this. Sometimes rightfully so, other times not but I dont think last night and the result came down to our senior players failing us.

Everyone needed a reality check and for what its worth, it really isnt all that costly in the big scheme of things. The win against Sevilla & Levante were so so so much more important for us and our short term future than this tie so if we forfeit Europa in exchange for solidifying our position to secure Champions League football next season, I will take that in a heartbeat.

We have played worse in bigger matches, a lot just went wrong last night and patience and perspective is what is needed in these moments rather than reactionary takes.

 

[Gari]

We are trying to play the same football that we played before, but with much worse players and not even having a leader to score. The coach tries to reduce the shortcomings of the players with a tactical scheme and setup. Slow possession with cross passes is an anachromism in football and Barcelona has never played so slowly before. Everything is bad. But the main conclusions and the main thing are we are an ordinary club at the very beginning of the journey, false dominance is useless, play as best for the team.

 

[mc_lovin]

We are trying to play the same football that we played before, but with much worse players and not even having a leader to score. The coach tries to reduce the shortcomings of the players with a tactical scheme and setup. Slow possession with cross passes is an anachromism in football and Barcelona has never played so slowly before. Everything is bad. But the main conclusions and the main thing are we are an ordinary club at the very beginning of the journey, false dominance is useless, play as best for the team.

How dare he!

 

[Messigician]

We are trying to play the same football that we played before, but with much worse players and not even having a leader to score. The coach tries to reduce the shortcomings of the players with a tactical scheme and setup. Slow possession with cross passes is an anachromism in football and Barcelona has never played so slowly before. Everything is bad. But the main conclusions and the main thing are we are an ordinary club at the very beginning of the journey, false dominance is useless, play as best for the team.

Wow so smart

Valverde would never

 

[MTL_Barca]

Very disappointing game but maybe that kind of wake up call isn't that bad. Still a long way to go for this team.

We're still in the middle of transitioning to a new team so yeah it can't always go up, there will be setbacks as well. Next season will be more important after a summer window and pre-season for Xavi.

 

[FCMessi]

Auba better for counters.

LDJ better for unlocking buses and should have started.

Xavi just another poser

 

[Horatio]

Yeah, should have made it clear. The pitch was bad in the first match and it felt like playing away from home in the second. Thought Xavi focused too much on that which while true was not that relevant.

In the end it does not matter what stadium you referred to. Camp Nou was almost an away game as well with majority of attendance being Frankfurt supporters.

 

[Messigician]

Already exposed even Laporta is angry with him

📊| A point for thinking: Barcelona did not take the lead in the first half under Xavi in camp nou in 8 of 12 games.