The draw against Espanyol has returned Barcelona fans to the frustration that had plagued them for some time when they aspired to stabilize their game as leader of the League.
The disappointment was tremendous for a hobby that does not stop going to the Camp Nou.
The average number of spectators last year exceeded the figure of 71,000 and the derby was attended by 88,095.
The loyalty of the fans is today the best value of Barça.
The
Blaugrana people
know that the fate of the club, ruined and without the possibility of activating more levers for transfers, depends on a team that is still invertebrate, half young and half veteran, and therefore does not stop supporting Xavi's footballers.
The coach, however, has not managed in one year to make his team reliable, twice eliminated in the Champions League and level on points with Madrid in the League.
Doubts about the quality of the squad return and it is not known whether Xavi will be able to find a solution after his team inevitably falls into the same routine, as he admitted on Saturday after the 1-1 draw: "The tie is our fault .
We have not sentenced the game.
And when you forgive we already know what happens.
It's the same old movie” stated Xavi.
Barça never tires of playing the same game that, as is known, does not lead anywhere because it does not light the fuse of football: too discontinuous and irregular, at times hopeful and at times desperate, in any case not consistent enough to earn respect of the rivals and the favor of the critics: right now it is difficult to foresee what Barça can aspire to.
Xavi's speech is also always the same since he arrived at the Camp Nou.
More information
Barça falls asleep against Espanyol
Although he exempted the referee Mateu Lahoz, the unfortunate protagonist, of blame, the coach looks at the matches with condescension and encouragement -with an optimism-, which do not always correspond to the feelings his team transmits on the field, although there is a coincidence in that the crux of the matter lies in their difficulty in attacking well, as was proven against Espanyol.
Lewandowski's dependence is clear if one takes into account that he has scored 13 goals in 15 games while Dembélé has four, followed by Ansu Fati and Pedri with three and Sergi Roberto, Frenkie de Jong, Rafinha and Ferran with two -they have scored a both Eric, Memphis and Marcos Alonso.
The Pole did not score on Saturday, for Barça Marcos Alonso's goal was not enough and the game left Ansu, Raphinha, Dembélé and Ferran marked.
Despite the fact that 21 shots were counted, the chances were much less clear, a circumstance that explains the false expectations that Barça often generates.
It is the "almost" team.
It is difficult for him to be in control of the game and the match and he lacks authority, hierarchy and leadership, unable to make the most of the fact that he has only conceded six goals, endorsed more by Ter Stegen than by a changing and vulnerable defense when attacked by powerful teams, especially the of the Champions League
The personality of Barça is still not appreciated, conditioned by structural problems such as the commitment to extremes that are as pure as they are not very productive, even though Pedri was not well against Espanyol.
The biggest surprise was, in any case, the change of De Jong for Koundé when the Dutchman had completed a good game as a pivot and as an interior player: “I didn't expect to be replaced.
Decision of the technician", affirmed Of Jong.
Xavi did not succeed in correcting the game and Barça missed a victory that had been won in front of dedicated fans.
The risk is that he will get tired of cheering if the team does not stop playing the same game that lately has taken him to the same place in Europe and in the League.
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