Saturday, November 6th, 2021
A delicate mission for “hero” Xavi
The new Messi (as) of FC Barcelona
By Tobias Nordmann
FC Barcelona has finally made it: after a tough negotiation thriller, the stumbling football giant brings the legend Xavi home. The expectations of the 41-year-old are huge. Can he do them justice?
All those people who mean well to very well with FC Barcelona shouldn’t care that a possibly spicy detail about the return of Xavi Hernández is still missing. Because the euphoria that the legend will save this proud club is far too great (no less is expected) than that they want to deal with the dramatic financial circumstances of the Catalans again. They are known to be terrible. Which is quite a cute phrase in the face of debts close to the billion mark.
Well, before it’s about euphoria and relief again, the debt pin pokes one more time into one of the gaping wounds of FC Barcelona. The club has several of them. In order to bring Xavi, as they only call him, home, the Catalans apparently had to transfer a transfer fee of five million euros to the Qatari top club (which will be discussed later) Al Sadd. For a legend, this sum seems like a service of friendship in a business (the world football market) that is completely removed from earthly conditions despite all visions of humility.
But the thing is like this: For FC Barcelona, which in the past few years has been anything but cautious in terms of transfers and salaries, rather megalomaniac, five million euros are now a board that can no longer be lifted. The deal with the legend, which could not fail, threatened to fail. Because Barça apparently initially refused the payment, it was said in the Spanish media. The agreement came about anyway. Thanks Xavi! Because the 41-year-old, who absolutely wanted to go to his home country, to his club, took part in the payment to his current employer and took over half of it. The other was lifting Barcelona.
Xavi answers the crisis question
But does Xavi actually know what he’s getting into? Of course he knows. He has to perform a medium miracle. Barça crashed. Financially (see above) and athletically. The Blaugrana are currently at best a football fanatic. Not only in the Champions League, which could possibly be endured with great pain, but also in the domestic league. Under the unfortunate coach Ronald Koeman, the team bungled through the Spanish stadiums, affording themselves far too often inconveniences that were condemned as embarrassment. But the question is: How much guilt is the Dutchman really to blame?
Xavi will provide an answer to this. If he wants or not. Because there is no right to refuse to testify in the new responsibility. If he is successful, Koeman is exposed as haphazard in the end. If it is not, the situation in Catalonia will worsen. Because Xavi is, if you will, the new Messi (as). Failure is not intended. Because there is very likely no plan B, C, D. And if it existed, it would certainly be too expensive.
The problem is: failure is (unfortunately for Xavi) not a completely utopian scenario. Because the complications are enormous. Without the eternal superstar Lionel Messi, who is desperately looking for happiness at Paris St. Germain, the club is different. A weaker one. Because there is no longer a man who is always there and always found a good to very good solution even in the most explosive moments. Memphis Depay, who was signed as a replacement, is a decent footballer. But not an outstanding one. And certainly not a savior. Luuk de Jong, who is still known from Gladbach times, is even further away.
The gaping Messi wound
Healing this Messi wound is the biggest operation Xavi has to go through now. Means in its gigantic truth: He has to implement a new game idea for FC Barcelona. He has already proven that he can do it. Not as a trainer though. As a player, he was the brains of the legendary Tiki-Taka generation. Together with Andrés Iniesta, he orchestrated the passing game, which is grueling for almost every opponent. The memory of the dominant years, which were crowned, among other things, with four triumphs in the Champions League, feed the hype and the expectations of the new, old man. But the question, even worry, that resonates: Can a brilliant strategist on the field also be a brilliant strategist on the sidelines? His work in Qatar hardly serves as a reliable benchmark. Although he celebrated titles there and played fine offensive football, Qatar is Qatar. And that means in football: Qatar is a developing country.
Well, so sad, so scary the present is for the Catalans, so sporty and encouraging is the future. As is so often the case, the legendary talent factory “La Masia” has once again brought players to the starting line who let tender dreams of golden times mature. This is of course Pedri, who caused some impressive moments for the Spanish national team at the European Championships in the summer. And there is Gavi, who is already considered the new miracle boy of world football. Both are still very young, 18 (Pedri) and 17 (Gavi) and both play in the central midfield. Like Xavi and Iniesta once did. Possible comparisons should be prohibited. But don’t dream.
And in front, there’s an Ansu Fati. Also a promise like that. A man who can find very good solutions in explosive situations. But of course he is not a Messi. And it won’t be. At FC Barcelona, where else, they know how unique their Argentine was. But like dreams, hopes are not forbidden. However, the 19-year-old left winger also has a remarkable history of injuries. All those people who mean good to very good with FC Barcelona shouldn’t care. Xavi is here now (so he’s coming this weekend). And he will save them all. He must. Because failure is not an option.