Barcelona secured a slender victory over Valencia on Sunday to move 10 points clear in the La Liga title race. Raphinha scored the only goal for the Blaugrana, but that only tells half of the story at the Camp Nou.
Ronald Araujo saw red for Barcelona with 30 minutes remaining after a last man challenge on Los Che forward Hugo Duro. The Uruguayan was hung out to dry after a very poor header from Jules Kounde, and Barca head coach Xavi Hernandez admitted that the dismissal was deserved.
“The expulsion is clear, he is the last man. It’s a shame because it was a long ball that we didn’t clear well. For me, it’s a red.”
Minutes before Araujo’s red, Ferran Torres missed a penalty that would’ve put Barcelona 2-0 up. Against his former side, the 22-year-old sent his spot kick wide, and there was an argument beforehand between Torres and Ansu Fati over who would take the penalty.
Fati was visibly annoyed at not being allowed to take the penalty, and would’ve been even more so when it was missed. However, Xavi confirmed that Torres was the designed taker.
“There is an order in the penalties that we communicate to the players. Ferran was top of the list. The staff decided, and the players know that.”
Barcelona travel to face Athletic Club next in La Liga, although they will be without Araujo for that crucial fixture. However, the Uruguayan will return for El Clasico the following week.
Xavi is just so defensive for ferran despite his poor form,we all saw his contribution throughout the match and all errors he ve been commit but Oscar refuse to sub him,daz to tell u how xavi family re?look at Madrid young Alvaro game changer use him when needed but hardly use b play.
A bad workman always quarrels with his tools. You can’t expect a leader to rebuke his followers in public. He has the responsibility to defend them in public and rebuke them in private, that’s when the get to the dressing room or training field. This is so that he won’t discourage or demotivate him. Thanks for your opinion sir.
That’s not the meaning of that idiom. However, Xavi has given Ferran a lot of slack. Many Barca players don’t get that much opportunity. He has a point.
And how good was Fati’s contribution in the game?
He was miserable in the entire game misjudging a free header just 5-7 feet away from an open-goal and not holding off the ball up front for few seconds in the entire match are the highlights of his poor performance.
Ferran Torres was miserable too.
Please xavi don’t let’s ferran Torres near the penalty again he is drop form even we don’t need it again
Xavi should stop playing koude ahead of Eric Garcia,he keep on doing same mistakes all the matches
How many matches??? Eric isn’t confident at the back.
Am telling you if you talk of Eric you will be awarding penalties to your opponent everytime.
Xavi and his brother is glued to Ferran Torres whether he plays well or not. How on earth will you change Raphina leaving Torres on the pitch, this is incredible. Check the deadline backward clearance he was making. Their pattern of substitution is awful. Barcelona continues to roll with luck.
Still Ferran is better than Raphinha in the wide areas
Xavi hate fati coz he didn’t allow him to take the penalty, nevertheless he like ferran but is not good
As a player Xavi was good but as coach he is too sentimental. We are tired of this behaviour. Keep your sentiment and work for the team.
I believed Fati need more play time and xavi is not giving him that respect and only saying he proecting the player , he will get fed up and asked for a transfer loaned basa not scoring much goals these days
Are you the one saying this.
Xavi is giving him a lot of minutes.
For the past 6 last matches what impact have tati made to the team?
Always falling in 18 yard box whenever ball reaches his leg.
Both tati and ferran are the same.
Both of them need to improve their work rate.
I am also of the opinion that we were so quick to release Memphis Depay. Look now, we have no striker if Lewandowski is not available. Ferran Torres for does not do it. He is not the kind of striker we need at Barcelona.
I don’t even want to see Ferran Torres near pitch, i don’t know weather he charm Xavi, that guy is not a player at all, Barca need to sell him and Eric Garcia.
We need to sell ferran torres he doesnt fit our playing style so we need to offload him out and give ansu fati a playing time
It Kounde that cause that red card for Araujo, is mistake is becoming worst everyday…
Xavi need too put more strength in barcelona squad cos d team has a lot of weak player,with d likes of fati,kessie,sergi Roberto,
Ferran just need to step up is game while raphinha need to understand being a winger he must study d defender b4 Making a stupid move to dribble
Kounde is more better iEric garcia
Farran is useless in yesterday match and about penalty is supposed goes to kessie perfect taker even in AC MILLAN
Farran was useless in yesterday match and even the penalty supposed goes to kassie perfect taker in AC MILLAN during his time
Generally, the fire in the team is dull now. Lucky to be having narrow wins. The young boys need to step up. Barca’s Xavi needs to put emotions away and drive up the team
How can feran be on top if kessie was there, coz kessie is a penalty taker, at AC Milan used to do that.
Ferran useless Torres should have bin offloaded and Dependable Depay kept. But Xavi is partial to his Spanish players and Ferran gets playing time even ahead of Fati.
But how on earth Ferran gets to take a penalty when Kessie the penalty king of AC Milan is in the field is a big mystery
What is essence of bringing out pablo torre and angel alacorn the deserve to play too. As for me seriously i dont know what ansu fati and ferran torres are playing xavi need to change becuase for now angel can play that position more than both ferran and ansu. Xavi we are tired of those two idiot called forward. They are always anoying in the pitch
Why we went to Europa is because of Torres and why we were booted out of Europa is because of Lowandoski the passanger!