BarcelonaAfter a few years at the top of the world, Barça has returned to its roots: at a time when Barça fans often wondered why they endured loyalty during two hours of torture. The years of saying “Yes this year” at the beginning of the season, because it was scary to think it would be another year without winning the League. Without rhythm or joy, Xavi’s Barça played with fire in Vitoria, and managed to take all three points from the Alabès field with a saving goal from Frenkie de Jong right at the end. The Dutchman did not even celebrate, aware that he had not had the day, again. Neither he nor a team that took a weight off. Football stuff, the victory brings the team closer to the Champions League area. But with some really bad feelings.
Barça should be thanked that after a good match against Real Madrid in the Super Cup, they immediately suffered a realist attack to make it clear to everyone that dreaming of winning titles was cheating on their own. This year it’s time to plant seeds thinking about the future, prioritizing entering the Champions League, anyway. The rest is to make pigeons fly. Yes, Barça have not yet left the desert. Pedri‘s magic doesn’t work either. On a cold night, both because of the temperature and the game, the best result was a game where Jordi Alba was able to strengthen his self-esteem, with a pass like the ones he used to do before, when Messi was at Barça.
It was the best of the match, along with the result. If the Copa del Rey match against Athletic hurt Barça’s pride, Vitoria’s match hurt their eyes. Some of the matches are so beautiful that they look like a Broadway show, justifying the price of admission while everything is happening on stage. That was not the case. Vitoria’s game was like staring at a white wall for an hour, like chewing the sole of a shoe. The opponent did not help, very defensive. Not so long ago, José Luis Mendilibar’s teams used to go on the attack against Barça, without fear of receiving a thrashing that, in fact, was coming. But the veteran Basque coach has finally come off the donkey and asked his players to limit themselves to defending, beyond some against Pere Pons or Joselu. Alabès was very happy if few things happened. And Barça didn’t know what to do, to do magic. No ideas, no game, no leadership. A flat team, unable to bite, to impose its rhythm during a first half in which only Pedri was saved.
Xavi had left Dani Alves on the bench, ostracizing a very gray Sergiño Dest. But his Barça did not dominate the game with the midfield of Pedri, Frenkie de Jong and Busquets, nor did he know how to hurt the speed of Ferran Torres and Abde on the wings. Against a close rival, Abde and Ferran faced little. Against a wall, the ball moved slowly. And Barça were fed up with losing it, as if their players didn’t spend hours in rounds in training. It was an unrecognizable Barça. Something improved in the second, though. Xavi did not make any changes at the break, to make it clear to the headlines that they should be in charge of removing the chestnuts from the fire. It wasn’t a pretty goal, but the free kick by Luuk de Jong after 65 minutes somehow found its way past the keeper. Apart from the poor game, Barça also failed at times in their attitude. And that Xavi had said after the defeat in the Cup that he needed to be more aggressive. The players didn’t learn the lesson, apparently. Neither the veterans, who are still being tried with a magnifying glass, such as Busquets and Alba, nor the young people.
Xavi only made one change before the 85th minute, bringing Nico in for a very inaccurate Abde. With the Galician on the pitch, Barça controlled the ball more. He got a little closer to Fernando Pacheco’s goal, but he was left out of the area, not daring to enter, like a young suitor who does not want to knock on the door of his beloved, suffering for himself he meets his father. It wasn’t until the 87th minute that a pass from Alba to the back of the Basque defense was transformed by Ferran Torres in assisting Frenkie de Jong, who had gone up and down, without much direction, during the match. A golden goal, which avoided four games without winning.
A goal that allows him to continue climbing in the standings, but that will force him to be self-critical. Waiting for the good game, Barça live the day, at the limit, game by game. Making their fans arrive on match day without knowing what they will find there. He falls in love for a few days. Others turn parties into an act of faith.
