It’s a hard wake-up call in Catalonia this morning. Saturday afternoon, Xavi Hernandez’s troops lost with a score of 2-1 against Real Madrid, led by a great Jude Bellingham. A defeat difficult to digest, quite simply because it is always complicated to lose against the sworn enemy, who in the process takes a four-point lead at the top of La Liga. But also, because the Barcelonans dominated throughout the first period, and could very well have widened the gap after this opening score from İlkay Gündoğan. Fermin Lopez, for example, received the amount. The Blaugranas did not take advantage of their great domination in the first half and they collapsed after returning from the locker room.
A defeat not necessarily deserved if we rely on the scenario of the meeting, and it is for this reason that this Sunday, the Catalan media are rather sober. If we enjoy Madrid, where we still devote great articles to Jude Bellingham, in Barcelona, we remain quite measured and we do not necessarily overwhelm Xavi’s team. The criticisms are there, but they are much less sharp than during other Barça defeats. The newspapers also find certain attenuating circumstances for the team, such as the numerous absences with which Xavi had to deal.
A collective bankruptcy in the second period
In fact, there are only a few players criticized in the end. “Ter Stegen could have done better on Madrid’s first goal”explains in particular Sport, who awarded a 5/10 to the German, where all the holders received at least a 6/10. On the other hand, players who entered the game are not spared. Oriol Romeu came in to bring strength to the middle, “but he wasn’t good with the ball”, still according to the media. Robert Lewandowski, who also entered the second period, was also scratched: “we felt it a little slow”. The local media also speak of a team that is quite tired and not yet up to par physically. But what about Xavi?
The Barcelona coach still receives a few barbs. “It would be a question of better managing substitutions, strengthening the game with players who contribute and moving the bench before the team gets tired. Yesterday, the changes in the second half did not bear fruit while the entries of Modric and Camavinga were useful for the rival”we can read in an opinion article from Sport. “Xavi, who could boast of having dominated the Italian coach in most duels, saw that a match he dominated slipped through his hands”goes his own way Mundo Deportivo. The message for Xavi has been sent.
