Being one of the biggest clubs in the world and with their proud history, FC Barcelona are always expected to win each and every of their games. While this aspect of the clubs sometimes motivates players to give their best on the pitch, it also adds some unnecessary pressure on the team.
As if this pressure of donning the Barcelona jersey was not enough, the team has been dealing with some extra pressure for most matches this season.
As Mundo Deportivo has noted, in 18 of their 32 games played this season, Barcelona have found themselves drawing or losing the match at some point. While Barcelona have still won eight of these games, seven of them also turned out to be losses for the Blaugrana team.
In the league, Barcelona have been on the losing or the drawing side at some point in 12 of 22 matches. For instance, in the first game against Villarreal, the Catalans scored two goals before the Yellow Submarines went ahead 3-2, but Barcelona ultimately won this match 4-3.
Only three days after this match, Celta Vigo scored two past Barcelona before the Catalans reacted and won the match 3-2 in the very final minutes of the game. The Blaugranes experienced these difficulties against Mallorca, Alaves, Las Palmas, and Granada as well.
However, Barcelona ended up losing precious points against Rayo Vallecano, Girona, and in the last match against Villarreal.
Similarly, the Catalans have also suffered significantly in the Champions League, with defeats coming against Shakhtar Donetsk and Royal Antwerp. Even in the Copa del Rey, Xavi’s men fell behind Unionistas and Athletic Club early in their games.
Thus, Xavi will need to ensure that his team does not concede early goals in matches, as early concessions put extra pressure on the team in the final moments of games. A significant defensive improvement is required for this purpose, and it is up to Xavi to find a way to achieve this improvement.
