Xavi Hernández

[JamDav1982]

Ilias was most likely decision from above when he refused to extend would think.

Vega was the starting LB as season went on.

Pocho was in and out really but hard for him and dint look fully settled.

Just decisions that get made through season really. Dont see any elite talent identification in those but to be fair he never really had any elite talents either. The best was probably Pedrola overall.

 

[serghei]

Why would Xavi be in trouble? He won a league title in his first full season against CL and La Liga champions at the time. His credit is probably very high.

So far he did a very good job. There are teams that invest hundreds upon hundreds of millions only to win a 2nd rate cup or not even that. Have some perspective ffs...

We've spent 3m this summer on players or so I've read. We're making miracles with this team under the circumstances. If we win the league again and reach CL QF or something it would be incredible.

For any sensible, realist fan the team has exceeded expectations so far.

 

[serghei]

We've taken a hit this summer with a mediocre transfer window while almost every other team invested massively as usual, but I expect the team to put up another fight for the championship, with better CL results.

 

[JamDav1982]

He isnt in trouble and the article never claimed he is.

Again too much is focused on transfer fees when Xavi has better squad at his hand than vast majority of these teams spending big.

Also has a league where doesnt have to worry about CL qualifcation and top coaches with money to spend.

Cant ignore Barca choosing to spend 20m_+ odd on salaries for Gundo and Inigo and signing Vitor Roque etc.

Also Lamal doesnt cost a penny but is a youngster clubs would pay a lot of money for.

 

[ajnotkeith]

Why would Xavi be in trouble? He won a league title in his first full season against CL and La Liga champions at the time. His credit is probably very high.

So far he did a very good job. There are teams that invest hundreds upon hundreds of millions only to win a 2nd rate cup or not even that. Have some perspective ffs...

We've spent 3m this summer on players or so I've read. We're making miracles with this team under the circumstances. If we win the league again and reach CL QF or something it would be incredible.

For any sensible, realist fan the team has exceeded expectations so far.

You seriously can't write something so ridiculous and actually believe it.

Some kind of teams that make QF every year are Leipzig, Porto, Benfica, etc. Not super teams. B tier teams are regularly doing it.

 

[ajnotkeith]

Winning the league two times in a row would be a huge achievement, yes.

But a team who can win LaLiga two years in a row can do better than a CL QF, also.

 

[Messi983]

Barca media guessing... saying Xavi not in any trouble but Marquez or a Mendes client most likely to be given chances if Xavi was to leave.

More or less a non story.

Yes, it's a non story at this point but wouldn't be surprised at all if they would go that way if decide to sack Xavi in near future. Especially if we fail to get out of CL group again and we'd make a coaching change mid season.

Anyone knows if Ruben Amorim is a Mendes client? Wouldn't mind giving him a chance.

JN is still available, no?

If we don't do well this season I would give him a shot.

He's available and Laporta would probably go for him (there were reports Laporta liked Nagelsmann and Flick before we appointed Xavi) but expect he would reject us.

 

[Porque]

Pimienta might get the nod if he does well in Las Palmas in LaLiga.

 

[DonAK]

Only two managers this club should consider if Xavi flops is Nagelsmann and De Zerbi.

No one else.

 

[serghei]

You seriously can't write something so ridiculous and actually believe it.

Some kind of teams that make QF every year are Leipzig, Porto, Benfica, etc. Not super teams. B tier teams are regularly doing it.

Believe it? It's public record the club won La Liga last season ahead of La Liga & CL Champions holders Madrid.

Leipzig: 2022-23 (3rd place in CL Group), 2021-22 (also 3rd place in CL Group). You can't even get some basic facts right.

Smaller teams CAN make Champions League Quarterfinals. But they don't do it "regularly", but only when they have luck at the draws. Only the top teams regulary make CL quarters, and out of those, the elite 3-4 sides usually make semifinals (City, Madrid, that type of teams).

 

[ajnotkeith]

Believe it? It's public record the club won La Liga last season ahead of La Liga & CL Champions holders Madrid.

Leipzig: 2022-23 (3rd place in CL Group), 2021-22 (also 3rd place in CL Group). You can't even get some basic facts right.

How can they finish 3rd place in the group when they played City in the round of 16


They finished 2nd, 1 point behind Madrid, in their group in 22-23.

Imagine specifically doing a fact-check on where a team finished in a group and getting it wrong.

 

[serghei]

How can they finish 3rd place in the group when they played City in the round of 16

The year before. Last season they had one of the most piss easy groups . Celtic and Shakhtar lol. Any decent team could make CL knockouts in such a group.

 

[serghei]

Reminds me of Barca's group from a few years ago with Dynamo Kyev and BATE or something, when we smased those teams with the reserves like 5-0 or something.

If we get a group like that, the team would walk the groups. Doesn't mean anything. You get some more money if you go past one round more, but in CL the equation is relatively simple sporting-wise, you either challenge for it, or you get picked apart by the top teams.

The team can get pretty far with some luck, even without Camp Nou advantage, but to challenge for it is gonna take some miracle.

 

[ajnotkeith]

The year before. Last season they have one of the most piss easy groups . Celtic and Shakhtar lol.

That's not the year before... that's 22-23, which was last season. This season is 23-24.
In 22-23, they finished 2nd in group, not 3rd, as you put in your answer.

Anyways, here are some teams that have made QFs in the last few seasons :

22-23 - Benfica, Inter, AC Milan, Napoli
21-22 - Atletico, Benfica, Villarreal
20-21 - Porto, Dortmund
19-20 - Atalanta, Leipzig, Lyon
18-19 - Porto, Ajax, Juventus, Tottenham
Do I need to go back even further or do you get the point?

Making CL QFs is something regularly done by inferior teams that aren't near the level or size of Barca. Describing making CL quarter-finals as 'incredible' is frankly ridiculous and laughable. Every year the QF has at least 2 or 3 tin cans. Thats not mentioning smaller teams who go even further in the tournament such as Inter last year, Villarreal the year before etc.

Top teams such as Barca have as good as a shot on paper as anyone other than City, who are a clear favourite, and maybe Bayern, the rest have no clear advantage on paper.

 

[serghei]

That's not the year before... that's 22-23, which was last season. This season is 23-24.
In 22-23, they finished 2nd in group, not 3rd, as you put in your answer.

Anyways, here are some teams that have made QFs in the last few seasons :

22-23 - Benfica, Inter, AC Milan, Napoli
21-22 - Atletico, Benfica, Villarreal
20-21 - Porto, Dortmund
19-20 - Atalanta, Leipzig, Lyon
18-19 - Porto, Ajax, Juventus, Tottenham
Do I need to go back even further or do you get the point?

Making CL QFs is something regularly done by inferior teams that aren't near the level or size of Barca. Describing making CL quarter-finals as 'incredible' is frankly ridiculous and laughable.

OK, I confused the years. Point taken.

I already told you. If you avoid bad luck you can get to a QF in CL.

Nobody is gonna praise Xavi to heavens if we get a piss easy group, win it, and then get some Brugges team in Last 16 just because we hit a CL QF. Relax.

You can also get drawn vs Arsenal, finish 2nd, and then get City in Last 16 and it's goodbye. You can even get a Milan as 3rd seed. The seeding in CL is a complete joke.