What a job Xavi has done at Barcelona: From existential crisis to moaning about grass – The Warm-Up

FRIDAY’S BIG STORIES XAVI HAS DONE SOME JOB AT BARCELONA Ad/> Upon Xavi’s appointment in October 2021, Barcelona were facing what felt like an existential crisis. They were sat ninth in the La Liga table, third in their Champions League group and a financial crisis hung heavy over the Camp Nou. TransfersBarca could extend Dembele deal after all – Paper Round29/03/2022 AT 22:44 Xavi made 767 appearances for Barca as a player and won eight La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns.

In total, he won 27 trophies, scored 85 goals and produced 184 assists. He – even more so than Lionel Messi — was the reference point as Barca redefined club-level success. Mismanagement at boardroom level had provoked decline on the pitch.

Messi’s brilliance had masked much of the mismanagement, but when those boardroom missteps led to Messi’s exit, the club was left staring into the abyss. It once again turned to its reference point – Xavi – to recalibrate the club. However, it appeared a stark challenge for a novice coach.

And yet, they now sit second in Liga – beating Real Madrid 4-0 in the Clasico on their trot up the table — and will welcome Eintracht Frankfurt to Camp Nou next Thursday in a healthy position – after a 1-1 draw at the Deutsche Bank Park — as they aim to progress to a Europa League semi-final. In truth, Barca were not at their best on Thursday, and were lucky to escape at parity. Djibril Sow missed one very presentable chance in a first half the hosts dominated before Ansgar Knauff gave Eintracht a deserved lead with a sensational strike just after the interval.