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4 months ago
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Barcelona suffered another setback in defence of their La Liga titles last night after playing a disappointing 3-3 draw against Granada at home and while speaking after the game, manager Xavi disappointedly accepted that this performance happens to summarise the entire season of his team.
Barcelona, who took the lead through Lamine Yamal in the 14th minute, conceded minutes before the half-time break. A mere 15 minutes after the restart, they found themselves behind and although Robert Lewandowski made it 2-2, Ighasi Miquel restored Granada’s lead.
Ultimately, it took Yamal’s 80th-minute goal to rescue a point from a tight fixture. Xavi, for his part, accepted that defensive errors cost his team the match.
“The defensive errors are killing us. Today we give away again and this is the summary of the season. We cannot make these mistakes. With these gifts it cannot be repeated,” the manager was quoted by SPORT.
Xavi seems frustrated
Speaking during the presser, the Barcelona manager seemed extremely frustrated with his team’s performance, forcing that if you are scoring goals, you need to be on top of your game in defence.
“We have conceded in defence in situations where there was no danger. The second goal is tremendous. We can’t miss more,” said Xavi.
“I don’t want to be annoying, but against Villarreal, you score three goals and concede five. Now you score three and concede another three. We have to improve a lot defensively, we have worked on it all week because it is something that is marking our season.”
Pau Cubarsi played alongside Inigo Martinez against Granada. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Xavi has been forced to change his defensive setup quite a while this season owing to constant injuries. Against Granada, a very unusual defence took the field, comprising Jules Kounde (right-back), Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez (centre-backs) and Joao Cancelo as left-back.
The partnership between the four did not really work and while explaining the change, the manager said,
“It’s the sport, the state of form, specific situations, loss of players. We have had to change players. Since the three centre-backs recovered last year, they have not been injured again.
“This year we have had more problems. Also due to our errors in concentration. I think we have done many things well in many games to win them, but these errors have cost us points,” he said.
Meanwhile, when asked about Ronald Araujo, who was on the bench, Xavi affirmed, “He’s fine, he’s not bothered. But we’ve given him rest. Cubarsi was very good, Inigo… it was a day to filter passes.”
Xavi’s assessment of individual performance
Lamine Yamal scored two goals against Granada. (Photo by JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images)
Yamal was arguably Barcelona best player last night, having scored two goals and Xavi said that while his deliveries were good, one cannot expect him to win duels at a mere 16 years of age.
“Lamine Yamal and the young people, Cubarsi also played a great game. “We didn’t have legs up. We had Pedri, Robert [Lewandowski], Lamine. It’s difficult for him to win duels at 16 years old and he still wins them.”
Barcelona had a wonderful opportunity to close the gap between them and second-placed Girona after the latter had lost to Real Madrid. The draw, however, left everyone frustrated in the team, but the manager said that the league is still not lost.
“We are angry, I am the first. It is a lost opportunity that we had to continue in the fight, which we are going to continue, but it has become very difficult for us.”
“We do not consider the League lost by any means. We had two good games and today was not like that. We are not going to throw in the towel. What we have to do now is not fail ourselves. We had courage and desire, but it was insufficient.”
Lastly, the manager also responded to Deco’s claim where the sporting director asserted that Barcelona need a radical change. To this, the manager said,
“It’s not what has been communicated to me. He [Deco] believes in the Barça model and DNA, and he has also played here. I can’t say anything more, I don’t know.”
