Xavi slams Barcelona performance against Galatasaray in Europa League home leg

Xavi Hernandez cut a disappointed figure after Barcelona’s first leg draw with Galatasaray.

The Blaugrana couldn’t pick up a win in their Europa League Round of 16 first leg, at Camp Nou.

Xavi’s men didn’t put on a particularly strong performance, largely struggling to break down their solid opponents.

There were a handful of chances, with Memphis Depay coming close on two occasions, but Galatasaray keeper Iñaki Peña, who is on loan from Barcelona, put on a fine performance, making a number of fine stops.

Barca now head to Istanbul next week needing to win if they want to progress to the quarter-final stage of the Europa League.

And Xavi is not overly pleased with the performance his side served up in the first leg.

“It’s not a good result, playing at home,” he said in his post-match press conference. “In the second half, we have been something better but when you lower the intensity, you lower everything.

“In the end of the second half, we have been better. We have divided more, we have played with pure wingers.

“I have put on Pique to divide more, he does that more than Ronald.

“Iñaki has been spectacular, but we have not been like in the recent games.

“It’s a null combat. We will go to play in Istanbul as we did in Naples.”

Xavi did make changes for the first leg, but Gerard Pique and Ousmane Dembélé were both brought on by half time.

Barca missed Sergio Busquets in midfield, with the veteran starting from the bench.

It will be interesting to see what Xavi now goes with in the away leg with a win required.

Tags Europa League FC Barcelona Galatasaray Xavi Hernandez

10 Comments

  1. It is Xavi’s fault for this awful result.
    You cannot stand and look and the match and do no change.
    Memphis is completely out of form, doesn’t deserve to play. But Luuk DeJong is kept on the bench all the time, being though the only one who could have had a header from tens of crosses in Galata’s yard. Poor performance from all the players, I cannot remember someone who can get a pass grade.
    You have to use in form player, dude!
    But not even Dembele played ok.

    1. Agree with with you. Xavi should use him more than 10 minutes. Ferran was also out of form. Niko should leave efter 10 minutes . you could see no desire to win. I think the whole team was thinking it is an easy match. there are none easy match in europa league. Every team works 10X more when they meet Barca to impress.
      I think Barca manage in Istanbul , although they should determined home . it is always easier.
      I think also the best player should start not second best. Gavi should start not Ferran Torres.
      he need to be better. It was wrong to pay so much money for a bench from City. they should save those money for Messi , Haaland or someone in that level.’

      1. Lmaooo. Changing Nico after 10. 😂 No coach in history ever made a change after 10 minutes lol. He did 4 changes in 45th minute and that’s earliest changes are usually made.

  2. A player like Memphis and Ferran are not good so far in scoring, And Adama also does not score but he’s okay.so, playing Adam with Memphis and Ferran shows , there won’t be any goal.

    Xavi, you killed the game.
    Mistakes on substitute: Luk goes more with header than anyone in Barca and Adam likes to cross , you introduced Luk And removed Adama, funny,
    Your first change in attack should be Memphis out, Luk in.
    2nd change Auba in Ferran out, the final should be around 80 minutes, Adama out, Dembele in.

    You killed the game, Xavi

    1. I share similar views. Memphis out, Luuk in to exploit Adama’s perfect crosses. Then Auba in Ferran out to make substitution strategy more effective befor Dembele comes in 15- 20 minutes to go for Adams to continue with crosses for Luuk.

Comments are closed

La Liga - Club News