The disappointing performances from Barcelona recently have put Xavi Hernandez on the hot seat. The Catalan giants are expected to outperform their opponents no matter who they are, yet that could not be further from reality for Barcelona in the last two games.
La Blaugrana have failed to dominate both Real Sociedad and Shakhtar Donetsk in their recent games. Moreover, the Catalan giants succumbed to a 1-0 defeat just recently against their Ukrainian opponents.
After having failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League knockout stages for two years in a row, a win against Shakhtar was made a great priority to guarantee their progression this time. However, Barcelona ultimately failed to do so. With more and more criticism piling up, the club’s own opinion must also be taken into account.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona still retain faith in Xavi Hernandez. They continue to believe that he is the right man to lead this Barça team forward. Moreover, they believe that two key pieces of this squad are still yet to improve Xavi’s side.
First and foremost, Barcelona believe Frenkie De Jong’s absence to be critical. Currently injured, the Dutchman continues his recovery from the injury he suffered against Celta Vigo. Barça still retain faith that upon his return, the team will receive a massive boost and allow more fluidity in the game.
Another player that Barcelona trust will help Xavi’s side greatly is Pedri. The 20-year-old just recently returned from injury and has played as a substitute in both games since. However, the club believes that once he begins to regularly start matches, Barcelona and Xavi’s tactics will shine much more brightly.
