Xavi's 'special' challenge in what could be his last Clásico

Since it landed in the bench of the FC Barcelona like substitute of Ronald Koeman, in November of 2021, Xavi Hernández has been to the control of the Barcelona bench in nine opportunities against the Real Madrid: Four by LaLiga, three by the Supercopa of Spain and two in the Glass of the King with a balance of four victories and five defeats. This Sunday, from the 21:00 hours (9:00 PM CEST), the trainer egarense will live his tenth Classical... In an opportunity in which all is at stake.

And it is that the Barça needs a victory to stick to the possibility to litigate by the domestic championship until the last day. To day of today, the difference in favour of the White House is of eight points. If the culés win in Santiago Bernabéu would reduce it to five and would have options of 'presionar' and contest the title, but in case that fall could sack definitively of LaLiga, because the difference would increase to 11 units. It would be a shot in the foot for the Catalans.

The true is that for Xavi is an important and quite special party, place could er the last time that it was in the bench of the Barça in a Classical. It announced to finals of January his will to abandon the charge in what it finish the season and, up to now, has not changed of opinion. His aim will be to close the 'cycle' with the Real Madrid with good feelings and a result that allow to the culés reengancharse in LaLiga.

The balance of Xavi against the Real Madrid

Like trainer culé, the balance in the Classical has been to regulate, with four victories and five defeats. His 'history' began with the semifinals of the Supercopa of Spain in 2022, in Saudi Arabia, that remained in favour of the Madrid by a 2-3 in the extention. Next, the blaugrana imposed in Santiago Bernabéu by 0-4 in LaLiga, although they fell in the same stage few months afterwards (3-1). In the revancha of the Supercopa, in 2023, the Barça signed an exhibition in the final and carried the title after striking to the madridistas with a 1-3.

The Barcelona added three victories followed in front of the eternal rival: 0-1 in the gone of the semifinals of the Glass of the King 2022/2023 and the 2-1 in the Camp Nou by LaLiga. However, afterwards they have chained three consecutive defeats with two included humiliations. First it went in the feudo barcelonista with a 0-4 in the turn of the tournament of the 'KO' that certified the pass to the final of the Real Madrid, a 1-2 in the domestic championship with traced back and doublet of Jude Bellingham and the most recent, in Riad, by 4-1 with Vinicius Jr of protagonist with a 'hat-trick'.

Xavi wants to close the cycle with victory

That is to say, if the Catalan group achieves to win to the White House, Xavi would be finding a 'balance' in the results; with five triumphs and five defeats in ten parties. It is the aim more 'special', although they are conscious that it will not be a simple task because they visit to a Madrid that has not lost in Santiago Bernabéu and that has yielded very few points in this season. The challenge is enormous.