Barcelona: Xavi wins but remains unsatisfied, citing lack of soul

Barcelona struggled but secured a 3-2 victory over Almeria, thanks to a goal from Raphinha and a brace from Sergi Roberto in a La Liga clash. However, Barcelona’s coach Xavi was far from impressed with his team’s performance.

Xavi admitted in his post-match comments, “The match was more difficult than I anticipated and than we deserved. We had 30 shots and conceded two goals. The first half performance is unacceptable for me as a coach; the second half was better.”

Xavi was critical of the team’s lack of rhythm and intensity. He specifically mentioned Andreas Christensen’s risky play, considering his yellow card.

The team was criticised for a lack of spirit, which was perceived to be crucial in their last season’s performance. “The team lacked the soul. The team does not have the spirit it had last season. No aggression, no focus … The Barça I want is what I saw in the second half,” Xavi expressed.

Sergi Roberto’s performance made Xavi happy and brought a positive note. He said, “I am satisfied that it was Sergi Roberto who scored because he is an example, whether he plays or not. He almost scored a hattrick, but beyond that, there is his work, how he encourages people. I am happy for him.”

Xavi mentioned that he believes Gündo is comfortable and that this is a starting point for improvement. He also noted positive contributions from youngsters Oriol and Iñaki. However, it’s evident that the underwhelmed coach expects more from the squad in terms of intensity and spirit in future matches.