Barcelona's title challenge: Xavi restoring the pride and the prize is only down to time

The Catalan Giants are known to be heavyweights in Spanish and European football. The Club is known for its trademark Tiki-taka style of play, or what could be otherwise known as the Cruyffian philosophy. It is named after the Dutch footballer and Coach, who was the founder of the football philosophy known as Total Football.

Being the only Club to win a sextuple in a year the feat was achieved in 2009, The club also won a treble in 2015. Donning the Blue and red colour of the Blaugrana is a lifelong dream for most footballers. Several football legends had played for the Club and made History.

Barcelona is no doubt, One of the biggest club in the world with millions of supporters throughout the world.

However, A Season after the Treble triumph, Luis Enrique who has led the team to glory announced his decision to leave at the start of the 2016/17 season. The Spanish boss insists that it would be 'the easiest thing in the world for him to renew his contract. However, he thought that the players needed a new face'.

Barcelona after Luis Enrique

On May 2017, Ernesto Valverde was hired to replace Luis Enrique. The Former Athletic Bilbao boss dominated the league winning it back to back. However, The team's performance at continental always ended up in disappointment, Being eliminated by Roma and Liverpool consecutive seasons in the Champions League knockout stage despite establishing a three goal advantage from the first legs. Valverde won four trophies with Barcelona – two LaLiga titles (2017-18 and 2018-19), the 2018 Copa del Rey, and the 2018 Supercopa de España.

On January 2020, He was eventually fired in the mid-season and was replaced by former Real Betis coach Quique Setién, with Barcelona ending the campaign without a trophy after finishing five points behind Real Madrid.

Quique Setien's reign as Barcelona coach was a short one. On 14 August 2020, Barcelona lost 8–2 to FC Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, which was the first time in 74 years that the club had conceded eight goals in a game; it was also the first loss by a six-goal margin since 1951. He was officially dismissed three days later.

Ronald Koeman, a club legend joined the after the dismissal of Setien, He took charge of the club 2020/2021 season. Barcelona equalled their worst tally after the first six games in La Liga (8 points, as few as in the 2002–03 season).

They were knocked out of the Champions League in the round of 16 by PSG after failing to turn around a 1–4 loss at home, losing 2–5 on aggregate. The team ended the season third in La Liga, behind the two Madrid clubs. Barcelona did win a silverware that campaign with success in the King's Cup.

The COVID-19 pandemic worsen the Club's financial situation as it was revealed, the club had a debt of over one billion Euros. Club President Josef Bartomeu resigned after accusations of corruption were brought against him. Joan Laporta was elected president for the second time; the 58-year-old won with more than 54 percent of the vote; over Victor Font and Toni Frexia.

Laporta was previously president during one of the club's most successful periods; earning 12 trophies between 2003 and 2010 including a famous treble under Pep Guardiola and with Lionel Messi as a talisman. The new president promised to renew Lionel Messi's contract who was already in his final days at that time.

However, Before the kick-off of the new season, Barcelona said in a statement that despite an agreement in place between the team and Messi, the club said a new contract cannot be signed because of "financial and structural obstacles," citing regulations from the Spanish soccer league, LaLiga. This send a shock to the football world as it came as a surprise.

Barcelona beat Real Sociedad 4-2 at home to kick off the 2021–22 La Liga season. However, in their following 10 games, they had a dismal run with only four wins, three draws and as many loses, including back-to-back 3-0 losses in the Champions League group stage to Bayern Munich and Benfica, as well as a 2-0 road loss in La Liga to title rivals Atletico Madrid.

After Barça lost 2-1 to Real Madrid at home on October 24, Koeman became the first manager since Patrick O'Connell in 1936 to lose three straight Clásicos. Following the team's 1-0 loss to Rayo Vallecano, the club confirmed on October 28 that Koeman had been fired as manager. A week later, it was declared that Xavi Hernandez is the new Head Coach.

Barcelona so far under Xavi Hernandez

On November 6, 2021, Xavi replaced Ronald Koeman as the manager of his old club, Barcelona, and signed a deal that would last until June 2024. After his arrival, Xavi reportedly imposed strict guidelines on the players, including the reinstatement of fines, early arrival for practice, and monitoring of off-field activities.

In his first Champions League season, Xavi assumed leadership with two group stage games left. After losing 3-0 to Bayern Munich on December 8 at the Allianz Arena and drawing 0-0 with Benfica on November 23 at Camp Nou, Barcelona placed third in the group stage, eliminated to the Europa League knockout phase play-off.

After losing to Athletic Bilbao 3-2 after extra time in the round of 16, Barcelona was eliminated from the Copa del Rey. Barcelona booster the ranks during the winter transfer window by bringing in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Adama Traoré, and Ferran Torres on loan. Barcelona immediately improved in form and got over the challenging first few months, with the fresh additions significantly contributing to the change.

The team entered a 14-match unbeaten streak. During this run, they qualified for the quarterfinals of the Europa League and scored four goals in each of six of their eleven games. Xavi's first Clásico victory as manager came on March 20 when he defeated Real Madrid 0-4 in La Liga at the Santiago Bernabéu, ending a five-match Clásico losing streak and extending his team's 12-match unbeaten streak.

On April 14, Xavi and his team, who were poised to make a historic comeback, were eliminated by Eintracht Frankfurt from the UEL quarterfinals, ending their fifteen-game unbeaten streak. He Guided Barcelona from a ninth place to finish second in the league.

Insight into Xavi's approach

Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique were not joking when they said Xavi was already a coach during his playing days. Xavi is an apologist of Total Football, He loves his side to build out from the back, splitting centre-back, creating width and depth with the players' positioning on the field. The Spaniard's 4-3-3 system allows him to execute this perfectly given the players at his disposal, although Xavi hasn't been a stranger to employing a 4-2-3-1 on the odd occasion.

As with building out from the back, Xavi wants his side to subscribe to another element of modern football through pressing high up the pitch. Most sides commit multiple bodies in the press, but Xavi has taken his side’s tactical set-up in this phase to near-Bielsa levels. He believes attacking and creating chances increase the team's winning potential.

Can Xavi restore back the glory days ?

Thanks to Joan Laporta, Barcelona has been able to ease the financial complications by selling a certain percentage of the club TV Rights and some other rights for a certain period. 

Barcelona spent a combined €140million (£117m, $142.8m) to sign Brazil winger Raphinha from Leeds United, Poland forward Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich, and France centre-back Jules Kounde from Sevilla. They also signed Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie from Chelsea and AC Milan respectively on free transfers to strengthen the squad and build a competitive team.

With the backing from the board, much will be expected from Xavi to deliver silverware, this has raised questions if the former midfield maestro can return the club to the apex, as Pep Guardiola did and stun critics.

Xavi has not only improved the team but he has instilled the mentality, morality and discipline lacking under previous managers. He took over a broken squad who were mentally fragile, physically weak, and financially crippled. A team that couldn't keep up the intensity for more than 50 mins.

A team that couldn't make a comeback from a goal deficit. A team that had lost motivation to compete and all that was left was just washed-up players, talented players who were yearning to be coached by a manager who would draw out their full potential.

With Xavi, many players in the squad have been at the top of their game. Notably, Ousmane Dembele who was known to be injury prone. The Frenchman has been vindicated by his performances since he joined the club in 2017.

 Xavi requested the contract extension of the winger and insisted the Frenchman must remain at Club. Dembele has improved drastically to be one of the most lethal wingers in Europe due to the belief and confidence his coach instilled in him.

The team has been impressive so far this season and the new signings are adapting, enjoining a fine start with the Blaugrana. Barcelona currently sits second on the Laliga log earning ten points in four matches. The team also thrashed Viktoria Plzen 5-1 in their Champions League Group stage opening match at the Camp Nou.

If the Catalan Giants can maintain their current form, the Xavi-led team assured of at least a silverware at the end of the season.

The Spanish manager has taken charge of 42 matches for the Blaugrana, with 24 wins, 10 draws, and 8 losses. Xavi has 57.1% with Barcelona.

Do you think Xavi can restore the pride of FC Barcelona? Leave a comment below.

Author: Olayinka Salaudeen

Credits: Wikipedia, Desmond Oris

Edited : Kehinde Hassan Afolabi