Highly anticipated before challenging the leaders of La Liga on Sunday, the FC Barcelona players did not disappoint.
With a big rise in power in recent weeks, Barça wanted to rub shoulders with a large team to gauge themselves.
The result ?
A demonstration on the lawn of Santiago Bernabeu and a clear 4-0 victory against their rivals.
If the current good results of the Catalan club are obviously to be put to the benefit of the collective as a whole, three men are actually leading the boat.
Coach Xavi Hernandez arrived at the end of October to replace Ronald Koeman, striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang arrived from Arsenal this winter and French world champion Ousmane Dembélé.
While the first city has completely transformed a team that we thought was totally lost, giving it a soul,
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Facing Real Madrid on Sunday evening on behalf of the 29th day of La Liga, the Catalans crushed their opponents.
Pierre-Eymerick Aubameyang scored twice in his first Clasico (29th, 53rd), and Ousmane Dembélé meanwhile played with the Madrid defense and delivered two assists.
Luis Araujo (38th) and Ferran Torres (47th) are the other scorers.
Thanks to this victory, FC Barcelona retains its 3rd place and knows that it has just sent an important message to the football world.
"
This victory can change our present dynamic and that of the future.
I am convinced that this club has been the best in the world since I was little.
Winning 4-0 at the Bernabeu playing football so well is hard, it doesn't happen every day.
I'm not looking for personal glory, I want glory for the players and for the big Barça family in general.
(Is FC Barcelona back?) It's possible
, ”said Xavi at a press conference after this prestigious success for an entire club that had been waiting for this for far too long.
Xavi Hernandez as ship's captain
Iconic Barça player with whom he won 4 Champions Leagues and 8 Spanish championships, Xavi Hernandez confirms that he is the man of Barcelona's renewal.
A true legend of the club, the 42-year-old man gave color to the Blaugranas who seemed to be heading for a disaster season before his arrival.
Returning to his training club on October 27, following the dismissal of Ronald Koeaman after a defeat against Rayo Vallecano (1-0), Xavi then recovered the team in a disaster state and ranked in a shameful 9th place in La Liga.
Badly embarked on the Champions League, Xavi Hernandez could not raise the bar early enough in the cup with big ears and had to settle for a 3rd place in the pool, behind Bayern and Benfica, to qualify for the final phase of the Champions League. 'Europa League,
after eliminating Naples in the play-offs.
On the Spanish lawns, however, the coach trained at La Masia was able to restore confidence in his group, before making them once again become a real machine to play and score.
Since taking over the team, the former La Roja player has completely reversed the trend and confirmed that you should always be wary of an injured animal.
Third at the end of the 29th day of La Liga, the Blaugranas returned to standards more in line with their glorious past and their ambitions.
Moreover, the Spanish coach did not disassemble when discussing his ambitions at a press conference "
before turning it back into a real playing and scoring machine.
Since taking over the team, the former La Roja player has completely reversed the trend and confirmed that you should always be wary of an injured animal.
Third at the end of the 29th day of La Liga, the Blaugranas returned to standards more in line with their glorious past and their ambitions.
Moreover, the Spanish coach did not disassemble when discussing his ambitions at a press conference "
before turning it back into a real playing and scoring machine.
Since taking over the team, the former La Roja player has completely reversed the trend and confirmed that you should always be wary of an injured animal.
Third at the end of the 29th day of La Liga, the Blaugranas returned to standards more in line with their glorious past and their ambitions.
Moreover, the Spanish coach did not disassemble when discussing his ambitions at a press conference "
the Blaugranas have returned to standards more in line with their glorious past and their ambitions.
Moreover, the Spanish coach did not disassemble when discussing his ambitions at a press conference "
the Blaugranas have returned to standards more in line with their glorious past and their ambitions.
Moreover, the Spanish coach did not disassemble when discussing his ambitions at a press conference "
I don't know if we can win the title, we can't rule anything out.
Maybe we are a little behind, but it's a very big victory for us
”.
If the game offered by Xavi's men is still far from the one he experienced as a player under Guardiola, Barça is still very exciting.
Dominating, technically superior and above all very realistic, the Catalans offer a very effective transition game.
If they are obviously capable of holding the ball and linking the phases of possession, the Barcelonans play very direct football and it works!
Two players in particular symbolize this new cycle on the side of Barça, the Gabonese PE Aubameyang and the French international Ousmane Dembélé.
The reformed duo crush everything in their path
If the two players have been a hit under the Catalan colors for several weeks, nothing foreshadowed such a brilliance.
Arrived this winter from Arsenal who agreed to release him because of his huge salary, Aubameyang was emerging from several months of trouble at the London side, his relationship having cooled with his former coach Mikel Arteta following performances in fall despite a new contract signed and an estimated monthly salary of 1.7 million euros according to the
Times
.
The 32-year-old Gabonese international, who had not played since December 6, 2021, therefore decided to leave England to try a last big European challenge on the side of Catalonia.
Coming to energize a Barcelona attack in dire need of efficiency, the former Stéphanois found a former teammate in the person of Ousmane Dembélé.
The two former Borussia Dortmund players, who had played together for a season (2016-2017) in the Bundesliga, had caused misfortunes for the German defenses.
Very close, the two new teammates revive a career and a stalled club by having renewed a technical complicity that sparks.
We spoke a little with Dembélé.
The final decision is up to him, we'll see what he does.
Piere-Emerick Aubameyang
Sunday evening, against Real Madrid, Ousmane Dembélé after a small number in his right lane, came to offer the opener to Aubameyang (29th).
The Gabonese (73 selections), thus perfectly felt and took over a cross dropped by his partner, to score his 1st goal in a Clasico with a header.
And it was only the first decisive gesture of the evening for both of them.
The French world champion was again the decisive passer on the second Blaugrana goal by perfectly taking a corner taken by Araujo (38th).
For his first Clasico, PE Aubameyang was twice there by scoring a second goal in the 53rd minute.
Since his arrival in Catalonia, the former Stéphanois has recalled what a formidable scorer he is.
In 11 games played, including 8 as a starter,
Aubameyang explodes the counters with 9 goals scored and an assist.
Back at an excellent level, he makes his playing partner shine. Plagued a few weeks ago, for having decided not to link his future to the Catalan club, Ousmane Dembélé has been living again since the arrival of Xavi and his former teammate at the BVB.
In the last 5 games he has played, the French international has delivered 6 assists and scored a goal.
In La Liga this season, the one who often has the role of the detonator compiles 9 assists and a goal in 12 games played.
arrival of Xavi and his former teammate at BVB.
In the last 5 games he has played, the French international has delivered 6 assists and scored a goal.
In La Liga this season, the one who often has the role of the detonator compiles 9 assists and a goal in 12 games played.
arrival of Xavi and his former teammate at BVB.
In the last 5 games he has played, the French international has delivered 6 assists and scored a goal.
In La Liga this season, the one who often has the role of the detonator compiles 9 assists and a goal in 12 games played.
The two friends who give full satisfaction to Xavi rise from their ashes at the best of times.
At the end of the season when the Blaugranas still hope to play for the La Liga title like Xavi and Piqué, and win the Europa League, their renewed complicity and their renewed football, the two former Dortmund players represent essential assets for Barça can achieve its goals.
Before continuing together next season?
In any case, it is Aubameyang's wish, as he explained in a press conference before the first leg against Galatasaray “
We spoke a little with Dembélé.
The final decision is up to him, we'll see what he does.
I would like him to stay, I'm very happy to play with him, we'll see what happens
".
The pleasure of playing found, and the physical glitches removed, the management of FC Barcelona hopes that Dembélé will decide to extend his adventure alongside his great friend and for the greatest pleasure of Xavi.