FC Barcelona Coach Xavi Worried Royal Antwerp Loss Back Good Football

FC Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez voices concern after team's shocking loss to Royal Antwerp, sparking talk of a crisis at the club.

FC Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez expressed his concern after his team's loss to Royal Antwerp on Wednesday, marking their second consecutive defeat and fourth in nine games. Despite equalizing twice, Barcelona ultimately lost 3-2 in injury time to the bottom-placed team in Group H.

While some fans and experts may not have been overly worried about the defeat, given that Xavi fielded a second-string team, the manner in which Barcelona played has raised alarms and sparked discussions of a crisis within the club.

Xavi confirmed his worry at full time, acknowledging that the team is not feeling comfortable and has experienced a streak of negative results. He emphasized the need for self-criticism and expressed concern about the opposition generating numerous chances against Barcelona, resulting in significant costs. However, he also recognized the positive aspect of the team reaching the round of 16.

Addressing the team's away record in the Champions League, Xavi acknowledged the competition's difficulty for all teams. He highlighted Barcelona's achievement in reaching the round of 16 as one of the season's initial goals and praised the team's efforts while emphasizing the need to return to playing good football.

Despite Oriol Romeu's involvement in the first two Antwerp goals, Xavi defended his decision to start the midfielder, emphasizing the importance of giving him confidence and acknowledging his quality despite a challenging performance.

The coach's focus now shifts to Barcelona's upcoming match against Valencia, where the team will aim to recover the "good football" Xavi desires to see. As 2023 draws to a close, the team faces the challenge of reversing their recent results and regaining their form.