The elimination of the FC Barcelona to hands of the Manchester United in the dieciseisavos of final of the Europe League has been a hard hit for the staff of Xavi Hernández. The team battled to the end but could not ensure his pass to the following round, what turns into the enésimo European fuss from the Champions of Berlin in 2015.
However, from the dispatches of the club and in the own technical body does not exist the same aura that in the defeats of the past. Neither in the players, that in spite of being disappointed of the occurred have very clear that anímicamente will not affect them and that the aim prioritario to achieve LaLiga is still under his hands and no can them escape.
In fact, the Barça considers that this Sunday in front of the Almería is an opportunity of gold to move away even more of the second position. The culés will visit to the Powers Horse Stadium with the possibility to put to 11 points of the Real Madrid, the one who will have to measure this Saturday in front of the Athletic of Madrid in the derbi of the capital.
Although they have had wails and self-criticism inside the changing room, the true is that the team is convinced that the page of Old Trafford has to remain in the past to compete by the two titles that subtract in the season. The Glass of the King also is at stake and the first semifinal will be the Thursday in front of the Real Madrid. A party that could serve to recover the good feelings that has had the club in Spain from the beginning of the campaign.
Full confidence
The disasters of the past in front of Juventus, Rome, Liverpool and Bayern Munich left aromas of end of cycle and the face of the footballers was of abatimiento pure. The designations abounded by doquier in search of culprits and the changes of trainer did frequent with the courses of Ernesto Valverde and Quique Setién. Also the problems between the executives with Josep Maria Bartomeu like main manager, so much by the results like the bad administration of the club.
However, nowadays anybody inside the Barcelona has the feeling that it have occurred a big failure in Europe by more than the sportive and economic hit has been hard. Xavi considers that the team has improved with regard to the past season but that have not had the necessary luck in the details that define this type of eliminatory. The draws, injuries and bad referee's decisions have been hurtful although the style of game of the plantel keeps intact and day after day shows it on the terrains of game.
The same thinks the fan, that still keeps full confidence in the sportive project and understands that the Barça little by little is recovering after three seasons of drought and transition. The Sunday in front of the Almería is the first step that has to give the team to show that they have left backwards the ghosts in the past and that have gone back to be, again, the best team of Spain.