Barcelona knew that being part of the group of death would not be easy. The match against Bayern Munich is the biggest threat to FC Barcelona in the group. Bayern has always been the toughest of competitors. The Catalans, on the other hand, have successively failed against them on numerous occasions.
However, the narrative this time around was different from the performances of recent years. Xavi and the club have had a booming transfer market, bolstering the squad with quality players. The performance of the new season showed early signs of the philosophy that has always been Barcelona’s pride and identity.
The match ended with a familiar score line. A 2-0 win of Bayern against Barcelona. The loss, however, is a testament that Xavi’s Barcelona is slowly but steadily gaining momentum to play against the best.
Barcelona coach Xavi’s press conference
Xavi has consistently stated that the club and its supporters should be humble about the rise. Getting the club back to the pedestal where it once was is no easy task. In the words of Xavi;
“You could say that Bayern already has a built team. We’re under construction, only at the beginning of our journey,”
“The difference between Bayern and us is that they don’t forgive in front of goal. The result is not a reflection of the entire match. But this is the Champions League. If you miss chances, you will end up paying that. We messed up. This defeat is a step backwards.
“We had six or seven clear chances to score. The first half was ours. We did enough not only to draw, but we should have won. We should learn from our mistakes and keep working hard.
“Our marking in the corner was very bad, and we should have fouled the runner in the play for the second goal. They stop the game, and we don’t. That is what competing means.”
Xavi will now have to assess the game and prepare for the next one.
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