Barcelona looked as if they might put themselves out of reach in La Liga on Sunday night, with the chance to go 10 points clear at the top of the table, but it ended in a sobering night for the Blaugrana. With the exception of perhaps their exit from the Champions League, there is now more pressure than ever on the team.
Their next fixture of course is Real Madrid, at the Santiago Bernabeu. It could be a turning point in the season for the Blaugrana, who will need to show an entirely different side of themselves in the Copa del Rey.
Speaking to Sport after the game, Xavi Hernandez did not hold anything back when assessing the match.
“It is the worst game of the season, both in attack and defence, as well as in construction and intensity. Nothing came off for us. We were very slow. Perhaps fatigue takes its toll on us. We have had a bad game. I’m angry because it was an opportunity to get to ten points [ahead of Madrid] and we didn’t do it.”
“We are upset and we have to find solutions now, because the decisive stage in La Liga and the Cup is coming and we cannot fail anymore. It was a golden opportunity, Madrid having tied and we have had the worst game at the worst moment of the season. We have to change the chip and the mentality right now.”
He also highlighted what he felt the team lacked above all, and it was what was causing him most concern.
“I’m very annoyed, it was a day to strike a blow, not a definitive one, but important one in La Liga. We have failed, we have no excuse, we have not shown intensity, desire to win, and that is what worries me the most. Then you can play better or worse. We can fail, but in the first half we didn’t show passion or soul. We failed, we have to apologise to the fans. Today we couldn’t play in any way, we lose a golden opportunity.”
There is no doubt that Almeria played with more desire in the first half at least, looking to revert their own situation, having slipped into the relegation zone. Xavi wanted to use it as a wake up call for Barcelona, who suffered their first ever defeat to Almeria.
“You have to play with passion, desire and enthusiasm to win this League, which we haven’t won for three years. We have to do many more things. It’s going to be difficult for us, we’re not going to win it with points to spare, we’re competing against Real Madrid, champion of the Champions League and of La Liga”.
Xavi is an average coach,he always lack of ideas when u look at all d matches barca win is just a small imagine,so the team is too big for inexperience coach like him