SUMMARY
- The Blaugrans's La Liga title hope is already in jeopardy as they are currently placed fourth in the league table with 41 points.
- What was supposed to be a successful campaign hasn't been according to the plans of Barcelona manager, Xavi Hernandez as he suffered his fifth defeat of the season.
Barcelona’s miseries continue as they missed out on their first silverware of the season after suffering a heavy defeat at the hands of their arch-rivals Real Madrid in the final of the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday, January 14.
The Blaugrans’s La Liga title hope is already in jeopardy as they are currently placed fourth in the league table with 41 points. What was supposed to be a successful campaign hasn’t been according to the plans of Barcelona manager, Xavi Hernandez as he suffered his fifth defeat of the season.
However, the question lies not just about his performance this season, but his impact overall. A recent stat has come to notice that the former Al-Sadd SC manager is just a defeat away from being the most losing Spanish coach in Barcelona’s history.
Xavi is one defeat away from being the most losing Spanish coach in Barcelona’s history. pic.twitter.com/xPmG6hSt0w
— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) January 14, 2024
Since taking over the role of Barcelona’s manager back in November 2021, Xavi has been a part of 118 games for the Spanish side. Out of these 118 games, he has already ended up on the losing side for 24 times. Another defeat for him will equal the record of Juan Jose Nogues who holds the record of losing the most for Barcelona as a Spanish manager with 25 defeats. Juan was the coach of Barcelona from 1992 to 1994.
Although Xavi helped Barcelona to win the Supercopa and La Liga title last season, this season has a worried note written all over it. The Spanish manager and his side will be back for a round of 16 actions in the Copa del Rey when they face Unionistas. The side currently plays in the Primera division, that is, the third tier of the soccer Spanish division.
Xavi apologized to FC Barcelona fans after El Classico defeat
Barcelona’s awful display of soccer during the Supercopa Final against Real Madrid has raised question marks of Xavi’s managerial tactics. However, the Spanish manager has apologized to the fans of the club following the heavy defeat.
The former midfielder, reflected on the poor start of the match as Barcelona went down by 2 goals to nil in the first ten minutes of the game. He said, “We can’t come into a final like this. We’ve been awful in defense and in the high pressing. You just can’t start a final losing 2-0.”
🚨 Xavi Hernández: “There’s disappointment and sadness. We have not been comfortable at any time, we have been dominated. I apologise to the fans because we have shown a poor display. Barça will return.” pic.twitter.com/IUrGqF3BSu
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) January 14, 2024
“Then the second half has been really bad. On the defensive side of the game, we did not stop their runs. We did not make fouls. They live off that, that’s where the first two goals came from. We knew it and worked to stop it in training, but it didn’t work out,” added Xavi.
He had his apology towards the supporters ready as he further stated, “Not just as a Barca manager, but as a Barca fan I am very sad. That’s all I can say. Apologies to our fans but we’ll bounce back.”
Amidst all the recent results, Xavi remains optimistic. He believes that he can still turn things around and that every one of his players is striving in the right direction.