The last time Barcelona played at Nuevo Los Cármenes Xavi was already the coach. The match ended in a 1-1 draw and the Blaugrana goal was scored by Luuk de Jong. It was January 2022 and Ferran Torres and Aubameyang had not yet debuted. Robert Lewandowski, scorer of 39 goals since he arrived at Can Barça, had not yet arrived either. This Sunday, Xavi is missing his great reference in attack, one of the four important casualties he has: Pedri, De Jong, Raphinha and the Pole, the last to fall and doubt for the classic.
“We have injuries but it is not a plague. The squad is shorter than long and it seems to be more noticeable,” says Xavi, who has to look for a nine. “Robert is a sensitive casualty. He is our scorer, reference and leader. He generates a little respect from the rival. It is difficult to replace a world-class striker like him,” he analyzes. In Mallorca, where Lewandowski rotated, the chosen one was Ferran Torres, who also replaced him in Porto, with a goal, his fourth of the season.
João Félix, who has only scored in Montjuïc, or even Fermín are two options as a false nine. Furthermore, the Terrassa coach has called for the first time Pau Víctor and Marc Guiu, two strikers from the reserve team.
It is just as true that Barça won the seven games in which Lewandowski was not present last season and that Ferran Torres only scored in one of them. In the first. The Valencian scored a double in Pilsen in an inconsequential Champions League match (2-4).
The Blaugrana carried out the matches but without the Pole in only two days they scored more than one goal: the aforementioned one in Pilsen and the 3-4 against Intercity. Atlético, Getafe, Girona, Valencia and Madrid at the Bernabéu in the Cup were beaten by the minimum, 1-0 0 0-1.
Ferran Torres, Frenkie de Jong or now Oriol Romeu have been or are victims of that endemic evil of Barcelona fans of constantly doubting the quality of their own player. “The Barça environment has a tremendous capacity to undervalue everything. All. A footballer who is an eight is left at a six. The players have to be very strong mentally. That doesn't happen in other clubs. We on the staff try to give them confidence,” he criticized that behavior.
