Reporter Han Bing reported that the away game led 3-0, and it was even able to be equalized by the opponent Celta in stoppage time... The mess that Bartomeu and Koeman left for Harvey was probably unthinkable to Harvey. Just like when LaPorta ran for president, he thought that Barca lost only 250 million euros, but in fact it was 480 million euros! Barca's "rotten" is beyond Harvey's imagination. Thankfully he did not witness the disaster on the spot, but chose to watch the Barcelona B team match: Xavi should have realized that Barça and his future are in La Masia, not Camp Nou.
Leading 3-0 without three points, the last time Barca suffered such a humiliation was on January 19, 1998: 3-0 at Camp Nou in the 69th minute, only to be reversed by Valencia 4-3. In October 1992, Barca also led by three goals in 36 minutes, and was pulled by Albacete for three consecutive goals; in 1993, Barca led 3-0 at the Calderon Stadium in 47 minutes, and eventually lost 3-4.
After being tied 3-3 by Celta, some of Barca's first-team players couldn't stand it. Memphis took the initiative to say: "Everything that happened is difficult to explain, just playing 45 minutes of good balls is not enough." The first half was brilliant, leading the opponent 3-0. But in the second half they changed tactics a little bit and we lost control of the game and we had to talk to Harvey. Memphis compatriot F. De Jong was sharper, and in addition to complaining about the controversy that led to the final draw, he believed that the team completely forgot how to play in the second half: "The team lacks personality and the players have to change. ”
Interim coach Serge did not hand over the "last baton", he directly criticized the three substitute players Alaujo, Phuket and Balde for failing to control the situation: "The players can't withstand the pressure and can't play the layout tactics. At the same time, Serge emphasized the impact of injuries: "If the team is healthy enough to compete with all the teams, that's the foundation. It is difficult for a woman to cook without rice, and I have tried my best. ”
As the AS newspaper Jimenez said: "Before Xavi returns to Barcelona, the Barca first team should pass the team's disastrous video of the team in Celta to Xavi, with the headline 'Anthology of Hulai at the Barraidos Stadium'. Harvey will find that just without 3 main players, the team is in chaos, out of control, technically wrong, and continues to be shockingly lacking on-court leaders to curb all this. ”
Before Xavi's arrival, Barca continued to be the laughing stock: taking a 3-0 lead but not being able to maintain their advantage, lacking confidence and leadership, and being at a loss in the face of injuries... Xavi's close friends told the media that the Barca legend has found the cause of the team's illness and targeted measures. Now, 12 days of international matchday is Barca's only hope.
Today, Barca are 10 points away from Real Madrid and 5 points away from the Champions League zone. Barayidos' disastrous performance means that Harvey has so much to change. The 3 performance analysts he brought with him from THAAD will certainly be unusually busy as they need big data support for Harvey's change. But judging by Barca's recent performances, as Sergey said, it's hard to expect a team with too many injuries to play at the level it deserves. Old teammates such as Busquets and Alba only have the physical strength to support a good performance at halftime, and Lenglet continues to be a disaster for the defensive line.
It was the youngsters who performed well: Ansu Fati, Garvey, Nico, F. De Jong, the Dutch midfielder's luck in hitting the crossbar from a distance in the final stages was too bad, otherwise the team would not have welcomed the arrival of the new manager with shame. Young people need spiritual leaders to guide them, but currently Barça does not. Serge lamented that every game had to have different "kids" play, but they were clearly not ready. All of this needs Harvey to change.
Xavi did not travel with the team to Galicia, but stayed in Barcelona to watch the game between Barça B and Sevilla B. The first team's massive injuries and almost two months left in the winter window have left him with only hope in the youngsters of team B. Barca's first-team team has injured 11 players, Aguero won't be back until at least February next year, and Brycevette is still recovering from knee surgery. Pique and E. Garcia both had flounder muscle strains in their right leg, and Roberto, Pedri, Dembele, Nico and Ansu Fati also suffered thigh muscles or hamstrings. Dyst had a low back injury and only substitute goalkeeper Neto's flu did not affect the performance. The few pieces of good news Harvey got was that Ansu Fati was not seriously injured and could soon return.
The unhappiness of Xavi and Barca over the termination fee is over and he needs to get into work as soon as possible. But in the next 12 days, only Six players in the first team will be Left in Mingesa, Umtiti, Bouch, Demir, Luc De Jong and third goalkeeper Peña, counting the B players Bald and Ezazuri who have recently been temporarily promoted to the first team.
Ironically, Xavi personally inspected the Barça B game, and the young people also led by 3 goals just half an hour later, and led by 4 goals in 38 minutes, and successfully maintained the score until the end. Moroccan Ilias, a 17-year-old, and Radar, a 24-year-old shooter on loan from Ibiza, are more than doubles, with the former apparently more of Harvey's attention. Both Ilias and Garvey were promoted from the Barça Youth A team, the latter has achieved the "quadruple jump", from the third division to the senior national team, and the former may become Xavi's first "miracle soldier" to solve the Barça crisis.
Xavi can definitely bring confidence and leadership to this young Barca team, because he himself is the spiritual leader of the team. But if he wants to rely on this group of "baby soldiers" to change Barca in the short term, Harvey, like his wounded, needs enough luck.
Real Madrid star Bardano argued in a column in El País that if Barca need to regain self-confidence, one Xavi is enough: "When Xavi arrives in Barcelona, he should have a football under his armpit, arrogant but with enough capital. Baldano admits to having never seen anyone like Harvey who can control the game as he pleases. If Xavi is only in 80% physical condition, he can also make Barca's entire team state to 80%: "He rules every area of the stadium, just like he is the master here." ”
But Harvey's lack of trust with the president has laid hidden dangers for Barca's revival from the beginning. Laporta's ability to refuse to go to Doha for political reasons shows that Harvey is not his priority – but Harvey is the only viable option. And Xavi's advantage over Guardiola is that he has been perfecting his tactical concept for a longer period of time and firmly believes that the essence of Barcelona is still and has always been la Masia.
13 years ago Guardiola was not Laporta's first choice, he considered Mourinho. Xavi, who was a player at the time, was also questioned about his lack of ability, and even considered leaving Barca at one point. After 13 years, Barca are facing a worse situation, worse performances, more injuries and more lack of confidence. Laporta can only choose La Masia's DNA again, but as he did 13 years ago, he himself doesn't think a rookie coach who embraces Cruyffism can do wonders.
Harvey will face huge challenges, including how to face the former big four teammates in the locker room and whether they can compete fairly when they are in a slump. Koeman left him with outstanding rookies such as Araujo, Mingesa, Pedri, Garvey, and Nico, but it is still uncertain whether Boucher, Balde, Ezazuri and Demir can be trusted. Harvey is still full of expectations for La Masia, but the reality is harsh. Celta's 3-to-3 put a lot more pressure on him than he thought.
The Secret newspaper complained about Harvey, arguing that Laporta's snub and capriciousness made such a Barça not worth Harvey's struggle for. Laporta's rebellion has long discredited him, first with distrust of Messi, then with Two Renegades on Corman in June and October, and this time by Harvey.'
Barca need a savior, but Laporta and his management have in fact done nothing, the president enjoys a dinner in Galicia, vice president Eust and football director Alemani waste more time in the gym in Doha... Only Xavi is trying to get himself back to Barca and save the club, but the Barca management, who should have worked hard for this, pretended that everything was planned, in fact there was no plan at all.
Barça has never lacked a corpse vegetarian meal, a cold-blooded and ruthless chairman, but also never a shortage of la Masia fighters with a passion for blood. 13 years ago it was Guardiola and 13 years later it was Xavi.