The newly appointed Barcelona manager and club legend Xavi Hernandez won his first match in charge against Espanyol on Saturday.
It was a 50/50 game but thanks to Memphis Depay spot-kick goal that gave Barca the deserved win after a poor run to the season with sacked Ronald Koeman.
Responding to journalist questions when asked what he needed to improve Xavi said football, breaking it down to how to attack, where, and when to damage.
The club legend is under no illusions as to where Barcelona is on their trajectory back to the top. This was a game filled with aggressive pressing and much endeavor, but a clear lack of cutting edge and a worrying concession of chances which would have made his glorious return a disastrous night.
But what should Barcelona fans take from the performance?
Young talent being blooded
It’s as much through necessity as anything else, but Xavi made a clear statement from the outset in his starting XI.
Not only did newly-installed Barca B operators Gavi and Nico start as expected, but 17-year-old Ilias Akhomach was a surprise debutant to the right of the tried-and-tested 4-3-3.
Ilias Akhomach; Photo Credit – The Sun
Abdessamad Ezzalzouli came on for him at half-time, himself making just his third league appearance, and had an interesting half, arguably providing Barca’s most viable outlet with his direct running on the right.
Eight of the starting XI were from La Masia. It’s clear that whether he has to or not, Xavi is going to rely on that institution to build this team, and that’s with Pedri and Ansu Fati in reserve.
The high press
The ‘Barcelona way’ that Xavi is trying to revive has at its heart an aggressive press to win the ball back high. It’s fair to say that Ronald Koeman’s side didn’t have this at its core and it’s been notable since his departure even under interim Sergi that there’s a desire to bring this back.
The pressing was high and intense but notably far more in the first half before this young team began to noticeably tire.
And that will be key – Xavi getting this of adolescents, in the main, to a level of elite sports fitness where this can be maintained for the full match.
The result
As Xavi says, a win is a win. To reach the top of La Liga at the moment, it’s important to just get wins to stay in touch with the Champions League positions. Given how the season has started, that alone will be the objective.
The three points don’t immediately put Xavi on the back foot and give the young players (some) breathing space. That’s a positive.
Camp Nou atmosphere
Nearly 80,000 were in attendance for this game, a sizeable uplift on recent matches and highlights that the Catalans are with Xavi on this journey and will trust the process.
The players were treated with respect and encouragement, and it reflected an overall vibe of positivity.
Dodgy penalty
Anyone who watched the game would admit Barca was lucky to win, make no mistake, the penalty that decided that contest, converted by Memphis Depay, was a ‘big team’ award that VAR really should have eradicated but that continues to persist in Spain.
Memphis Depay; Photo Credit – FC Barcelona Noticians
Depay went down under a challenge, one in which the Espanyol defender flicked the ball to safety. It’s not clear which sort of offense was supposedly committed. But it was given, and Depay rolled home with conviction.
Defensive frailties
Espanyol enjoyed spells in the second half where they really should have scored. Raul de Tomas is a dangerous forward, and a straightforward ball over the top completely isolated Gerard Pique and Eric Garcia and gave him a clear chance, but one he struck wide.
RDT also hit the outside of the post with a free-kick and then an excellent header that was very unlucky, with goalkeeper Ter Stegen rooted to the spot.
Attacking issues
Barca started well and full of energy, but that momentum noticeably tailed off and in the second half they created virtually nothing. Depay is not the prolific forward to provide all of the creative weight on the team and though Fati will undoubtedly help, it’s an area where Barcelona has gone from riches to rags in under two years.
Even with Xavi’s ideas fully incorporated, they do look under-strength in that area and it’s likely to be an ongoing theme, one that with no money will be difficult to resolve.
What next?
It’s a big week for Barcelona. They have a must-win match against Benfica at Camp Nou on Tuesday, before traveling to face Villarreal at El Madrigal next weekend.
By the time they play Osasuna on December 12, we’ll know quite a bit more about how Xavi is progressing, even if the understanding is that the end game for this project is years, not months, away.
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