BARCELONA.- Another poor performance from Barcelona in the defeat against Antwerp increases the pressure so that Xavi Hernandez of a turn to the situation.
The 3-2 defeat on Wednesday in Belgium It did not affect them in practical terms because Barça had already secured its place in the round of 16 of the Champions League for the first time in three years.
But Xavi He certainly needed a positive result because his stellar team had just lost 4-2 in the Spanish league against the Gironaa blow to his aspirations to win the title.
After the defeat against Antwerpwho finished last in his group, the local newspapers launched against the Barcelona. “Without forgiveness” was the headline of the newspaper Mundo Deportivo, while Sport headlined “Ya Basta!”
“The defeat that hurt was that of Girona”he admitted Xavi when trying to look for the positive side, the other way around Antwerp and that cost the club millions of dollars of a possible prize.
Xavi rated the meeting Barcelona in the Spanish league on Saturday against Valencia as “a final” and insisted that he has the support of the club and its players.
With the defeat at home against the surprising leader GironaBarça fell to fourth position, seven points behind first place. real Madrid is second, with five points more than the Catalans, while the Atlético de Madrid is on equal points with the Barcelona, but with one less game.
The good news for him Barcelona is that he Valencia has its own problems. The team of Ruben Baraja They have not won in four league games and have lost five in a row against Barça since they tied in December 2020.
Beyond Barcelona:
He real Madrid receives the Villarreal on Sunday with the opportunity to move one point ahead of the Girona.
Receives the “Yellow Submarine” after having problems to beat the 3-2 Berlin Union on Tuesday to finish the group stage of the Champions League with six victories.
Busy week:
Athletic will have three duels in eight days and with the possibility of getting close to or even surpassing the Girona and the Madrid.
He Athletic visit on Saturday Athletic Bilbao, which is fifth, five units behind the team Diego Simeone. Later you will receive Getafe on Wednesday and will welcome the Seville on December 23 to play the matchday 4 match that was postponed due to the September heat wave.
FOUNTAIN: AP
