Three games without a goal. Three games in which Barcelona have been unable to score against Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey semifinals and against Girona and Getafe in the League. Three confrontations that, added to the 20 minutes since his last goal against Elche, bottom team in the First Division, are equivalent to 4,8333333 hours, 290 minutes and 17,400 seconds without scoring. An alarming drought that had not taken place for 15 years. Barça's worst run without scoring since April 2008, when Frank Rijkaard's team went 410 minutes without a goal. The worst historical mark to date.
That Barça, with Ronaldinho injured, added a draw against Espanyol in the League (0-0) and another against Manchester United in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals at the Camp Nou (0-0). Then came two defeats: against Deportivo (2-0) and goodbye to the Champions League at Old Trafford (1-0). The blaugrana failed to win titles that season.
Xavi Hernández remembers it well, who was part of that squad. To avoid matching that mark and not take risks in order to secure the League, the now coach hopes to recover Pedri and De Jong for the match against Atlético de Madrid that will be played on Sunday, again at 4:15 p.m. “That schedule is not going well for us, we are not used to playing with the sun”, Xavi pointed out before adding that “loss is no excuse, but obviously they are important players. The locker room is touched. For ambition, illusion and desire it is not. Against Atlético we will have to improve our scoring nose”. Xavi, after the match, appeared in Getafe with a worried and somewhat frustrated face. He is aware of the football downturn of his team. Two consecutive shots on the post by Raphinha and Balde after 25 minutes were just the only offensive symptoms for the Blaugrana, whose football drift is beginning to be worrying.
“The point knows very little. We had a great opportunity in the first half but we know that here you suffer. The field is with tall grass, it is difficult and the clear chances that you have you must put them in", pointed out Ter Stegen. “It is evident that we are not in the best moment of the season. We've been thick and uncomfortable. We had to be practical and solid in defense and they have generated very little for us. We have had clear chances but we have not been effective”, acknowledged Xavi who, beyond the football aspect, also criticized the state of the Coliseum pitch. “It's difficult to play on this dry pitch, it's bad for the show. The ball has been stuck. It has taken its toll on them too. It's not an excuse but it's uncomfortable. With the field like this it costs twice as much, ”he criticized.
Beyond Getafe, Barcelona became the first team unable to score against Girona at home (0-0) this season. It happened after conceding all four Real Madrid goals at the Camp Nou (0-4). There was no Barcelona reaction to four goals that hurt and that brought the elimination of the Copa del Rey.
Looking ahead to the remaining nine league games, Xavi insisted that "we have to generate more chances, win games and improve our game". On the other hand, he is not worried about Robert Lewandowski's lack of goal who, like the team, linked his third game without scoring. “He has 17 goals. He continues to be the top scorer in the League, it's a matter of streaks, I'm positive and I see that he continues to generate, that he works for the team, the goals will come, for Robert and for the team”, Xavi declared. They are made to beg.
