Xavi Hernández

[JohnN]

It's evident this season that our squad is pretty stacked and miles better than most of la liga. We are winning matches due to player quality difference mostly.
We will be competing for LL with Real without much hustle. CL and matches against the top 4 in league is the benchmark for Xavi.

 

[delancey]

It's evident this season that our squad is pretty stacked and miles better than most of la liga. We are winning matches due to player quality difference mostly.
We will be competing for LL with Real without much hustle. CL and matches against the top 4 in league is the benchmark for Xavi.

Agreed. Our squad is world class, and should be competing for the CL title while also playing attractive football. And the first big test will be against a mid-tier European team in Porto.

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

Only Bayern and City look stronger. If Xavi has 20% of the luck of Carlo in 21/22 he will win the cl

 

[Temptation]

Beating a poor Betus side and everyone is excited. Let's face the big guns in Europe first. We've been dire in Europe under Xavi. We've improved the squad, we have an easy group. There are no excuses left for Xavi.

What a Barcilliant post! 👏

 

[JamDav1982]

Betis are not a great side at all... but Barca have played worse sides than that and struggled.

Clearly the team has made progression from Xavis tactical approach to squad and flexibility of players.

There are not many better squads than Barcas in Europe. Even City are not far ahead and gap is closing.. their advantage is Pep more than squad... not a dig at Xavi... just where Pep is compared to all others for now.

This is most exciting squad Barca have had since MSN. Even prefer this to watching a Barca team that had genius of Messi/Suarez but they walked majority of game and team as a unit was not there.

Lot of good players coming through also.

Real and Barca in next few years will start to get back to top two in Europe in my opinion.. provided Pep fucks off from City and that is based on Real signing Mbappe/Davies etc which looks like they will.

 

[Porque]

Well you said Osasuna were a very good side, while last season said they are not a good side when I thought they were. Opinions, assholes and all that.

I think come end of seeing they will be around the Eurozone.

 

[JamDav1982]

Well you said Osasuna were a very good side, while last season said they are not a good side when I thought they were. Opinions, assholes and all that.

I think come end of seeing they will be around the Eurozone.

I said Osasuna are good side?

In that game I said it was Osasunas second string who Barca should be beating after they took a pasting in Europe midweek.

Irrelevant anyway to any point made about Betis in my post.

 

[Porque]

Fuck. I misread.

 

[fergus90]

Only Bayern and City look stronger. If Xavi has 20% of the luck of Carlo in 21/22 he will win the cl

This Barca team looks no weaker than Bayern in my opinion, they look a little thin in areas. Would only put City as the clear top team including Pep tax.

 

[Andresito]

Yeah in terms of pure quality we are very close to Bayern, maybe even better.

In terms of mentality is another question.. Think teams could beat us in a two legged tie based on what we've seen the past seasons, even before Xavi. I'm very much looking forward to have my mind changed this season though. I miss the times where we had an aura of being untouchable.

 

[ajnotkeith]

Well you said Osasuna were a very good side, while last season said they are not a good side when I thought they were. Opinions, assholes and all that.

I think come end of seeing they will be around the Eurozone.

Osasuna have heart. Betis are pretty pathetic when they play us.

 

[JamDav1982]

I think mentality is over played at times and much more about quality.

City have had some awful collapses and then win it.

Mentality is seen as an issue.. until teams win.

Real made out to be mental monsters and then lose to City by big margin and league to Barca by double digits.

These players have shown what can do in past for Barca, at other teams and then v Real last season.

Quality of players and team set up is much more important than mentality which dont think these players lack. They are all internaltionals that have won trophies and played in high pressure games already.

 

[ajnotkeith]

The fact Betis start a guy in Chadi Riad who couldnt even get a few callups for first team and was playing for our u19s a short while ago shows you how large the gap is getting between Madrid/Barca and the rest of the league.
A team in Europe has to start Chadi Riad as their CB? Really?

Youd expect that more from Czech or Slovakian teams not Real Betis.

 

[ajnotkeith]

I think mentality is over played at times and much more about quality.

City have had some awful collapses and then win it.

Mentality is seen as an issue.. until teams win.

Real made out to be mental monsters and then lose to City by big margin and league to Barca by double digits.

These players have shown what can do in past for Barca, at other teams and then v Real last season.

Quality of players and team set up is much more important than mentality which dont think these players lack. They are all internaltionals that have won trophies and played in high pressure games already.

Usually all the best players already have mental skills. Almost impossible to get to that level without having it.
But was more referring to Betis and other teams in Liga who rotate against Barca and dont give it their best go out of fear/lack of belief they will win.

Betis being one of them.

But when you go to Rayo or Osasuna or even Getafe you know they will scrap for any points possible even though they are shite.

 

[malvolio]

Yeah in terms of pure quality we are very close to Bayern, maybe even better.

Based on what?