Before everything stops with the arrival of the World Cup in Qatar, Barcelona, leader of the First Division after Real Madrid's defeat against Rayo Vallecano, says goodbye to the League tonight at El Sadar to face Osasuna. Xavi's men are worth a draw or a victory to go to the World Cup commanding the table.
Xavi Hernández's men will seek their fifth consecutive victory against a strong Osasuna that is in European positions and that hardly has any World Cup players. Only Budimir, who is on the Croatian pre-list, and Abde, with whom Morocco hopes to be able to count when he recovers from his discomfort. In any case, as happened with Nico González, Barça included the so-called 'fear clause' in the transfer of the winger, so this course will not face Barça.
“Pamplona is always a complicated place. It requires all the capacity and concentration in the world. At home they are strong”, said Xavi of the Arrasate team that he has won five of the seven games he has played this season at El Sadar.
Xavi did not recover any of the five injured: Sergi Roberto, Kessié and the World Cup players Koundé, Memphis and Araújo. Piqué does travel, and if he plays, he will play his last minutes as a Blaugrana after saying goodbye to the Camp Nou on Saturday. "We'll decide," Xavi pointed out that in the week in which he turns a year on the Barça bench, he reviewed it, although without putting notes "because the press already does that," he said.
Then he explained. "Here I am, don't you see me? It's not easy being a Barça coach," he said before taking stock. "I think that the first half year was complicated by the situation, but we met the goal of qualifying for the Champions League. This year, despite losing in the Champions League, we are doing well in the League. I think it's a positive balance because we have a identity and a game model. There has been significant growth and that is what I am left with. The results will dictate a clear sentence, but I want to think that we are on the right track, "he added.
Finishing the first stretch of the season with another victory -it would be the twelfth in fourteen days- is almost an obligation for Xavi's men before the massive exodus of footballers that will mean the start of the 2022 Qatar World Cup. "We have put up some sensational numbers in the League and it is key to beat Osasuna to show us that we will fight for this League until the end", stressed Xavi.
If they add a victory, Barça, the team with the least goals scored in the competition with four goals, would sign, with 37 points, the best start in the League in fourteen games since the 2013-14 season, when, under the orders of Tata Martino, they registered 40 points. Despite this overwhelming start, Barcelona deflated in the second part of the season and Atlético de Madrid ended up lifting the title.
