The Xavi era at Barcelona kicks off with the Catalan Derby
The end of the international break was something nearly every Barcelona supporter was looking forward to. For the first time in a long time, there is a sense of optimism at the Camp Nou.
A lot if it is thanks to the appointment of new manager Xavi Hernandez whose reign is set to kick off in the Catalan Derby against Espanyol.
Xavi took part in his first press conference as manager ahead of the match. His discourse was radically different from that of his predecessor Ronald Koeman.
Barcelona need to turn things around in La Liga in a hurry
Barcelona currently sit ninth in La Liga, tied with Valencia and Espanyol but ahead on goal difference. The clash against Espanyol is going to have repercussions in terms of the standings.
"“Espanyol is a very good team and managed well by Vicente Moreno,” Xavi said. “They can press high, in a low block, come out in transition and with a physical strategy. They are a team who do many things well. It will be a difficult game, with a lot of tension and rhythm, but we are prepared to compete well.”Source: Sport"
While players out on international duty have returned, Xavi will not be able to count on those out with injury. The most notable sidelined players are Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembélé. Fati suffered an injury in the 3-3 draw against Celta Vigo and Dembélé picked up an injury during training after the Champions League clash against Dynamo Kyiv.
Taking that into account, Xavi is prepared to rely on the youngsters to fill those spots left by the unavailable players.
Xavi: "We train after the press conference and I'll see. We still haven't decided on the lineup. My feelings are good with the youngsters, not only with those who were in the first team but also with those who have been rising. There may be surprises."
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) November 19, 2021
The Catalan Derby is always special but it will have some added meaning this time around for both teams.
For Espanyol, it is a great opportunity to take advantage of a battered Barcelona side who have already dropped a considerable amount of points at home and on the road. Should they win, Espanyol will leapfrog over Barcelona in the standings.
For Barcelona, they are desperate to turn things around in La Liga. They find themselves a considerable distance away from Real Sociedad who occupy the top spot. At this point, winning the league may be out of their reach. The goal should be to finish in the top four and qualify for next year’s Champions League.
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Xavi has a lot of work on his hands to improve Barcelona. A derby against Espanyol may not be the easiest way to get started but a win would definitely do a lot to boost morale and get his tenure started off on the right foot.