On paper, there were three golden points that Barça reaped in Vigo to achieve, at least, the minimum objective in the League, which is none other than remaining in European positions. And speaking of Europe. Winning in Balaídos also meant facing with optimism next Wednesday's event in Naples in the always demanding, coveted and so missed Champions League. Even so, football-wise, Barcelona is still missing something. Even Xavi, who throughout the week was talking to his players to get their point of view and who, together with his team of analysts, prepared up to three videos that could help them gain confidence, barely celebrated the second goal that Lewandowski scored from a penalty in discount time. Xavi stood with his hands in his pockets. Impassive. An atypical image of the technician. He shows wear and tear.
There is a statistic that says that Barcelona is the team in the League that has scored the most goals in added time, a total of six with yesterday. “This year we have to suffer. Not dominating and not sentencing has consequences. Lack of clairvoyance. I have the feeling that the last pass was missing in attack. In defense we have played better than against Granada but errors in concentration are made. It is a very simple wall that they have made for us to mark,” lamented Xavi.
“Even so, we have been good positionally, we have been aggressive and balls have been recovered,” added the Egarense, looking as best he could for the positive part of the film. “There is evolution. Saying that I was leaving at the end of the course has worked. Since then, the team has added 10 points out of 12. There is also some data that says that we would be leaders if we took advantage of everything we generated,” said Xavi, who clings to whatever statistic it is when the game is not good.
Lewandowski luck. The Pole has 4 goals in three games. 12 in the League. Last year there were 23 goals. “He has taken a step forward, now he is plugged in,” said Xavi of the Pole. “I feel very good,” responded the author of the double of the night. To score the second penalty he needed two attempts. The first one missed but Guaita went ahead. “He had the courage to throw it again,” said Xavi. “I felt strange on the first throw but on the second it was me,” said the Pole. “In Naples you have to play well for 90 minutes,” he warned.
For Naples, Xavi leaves with another positive note. Although Araújo requested the change, causing the hasty entry of Iñigo Martínez, there is no injury. There is no fear with Pedri either, who ended up exhausted. “We have to be self-critical because I don't think we have done a good second part,” said the Canarian. He was the most critical.
