From ninth to second position: Xavi's Barça, at cruising speed

Published:4/04/2022 - 10:01h

Updated:4/04/2022 - 15:09h

Xavi Hernández took over the reins of FC Barcelona in mid-November, when the team was in ninth position in LaLiga. In four and a half months, the situation of the Catalans has taken a 180 degree turn

On 20 November 2021 Xavi Hernández directed his first party in the bench of the FC Barcelona, a derbi against the RCD Espanyol in the Camp Nou that finish with a suffered victory by 1-0 thanks to a goal of Memphis Depay. To the moment of his arrival, the Barcelona occupied the ninth position of LaLiga Santander and, four months and thirteen days afterwards, have turned into the perseguidor direct of the Real Madrid in the classification.

Justo before the egarense landed in Barcelona, the culés had signed his fourth 'prick' consecutive, in front of the Celtic of Vigo in Balaídos (3-3), after falling in front of the Real Madrid (1-2) and Ray Vallecano (1-0) and empatar against the Sportive Alavés (1-1). In this moment, the Catalan group added 17 points (of 36 possible) and found to 11 units of the busy leadership by the Real Sociedad, with 28.

In four months and half the history changes too much and has smiled to the Barça, that has gone on line ascending and begins to leave backwards, definitively, the ghosts that accompanied him on the way. Since Xavi took the reins of the Barcelona bench, have contested 17 parties in LaLiga, with 12 victories, four ties and an only defeat. The Barça has added 40 points of 51 possible.

The Barça has gone to more with the egarense in the bench and the position in LaLiga is the best proof of this. Between 20 November 2021 and the present date, the Barcelona have happened of the ninth to the second position of the classification, remaining by behind a Real Madrid that follows firm in the leadership. The difference of points, however, has increased, although the Catalans have a party less.

To the arrival of Xavi the difference was of eleven points, whereas now it is of twelve with a day for contesting (against the Ray Vallecano, on 24 April). To win the clash, the Barcelona will put to nine units of the Madrid. It will be necessary to see if there are possibilities of a traced back, because the difference of points keeps on being very big, but anything is possible... Especially if the culés are still in this dynamics.

The aim from the Camp Nou is to win all the parties that remain of the season and give fight to the end to a Real Madrid to the that has removed him the face of 'intractable', but that achieved a mattress importantísimo in the table. The one of Terrassa has left clear that "in LaLiga, while the mathematics do not say the contrary, will follow struggling. We go it to try. We will try to win all the parties. Yesterday we were slopes. It is difficult that fail so much the Real Madrid, but will try it to the end".