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KOMPAS.com – Xavi Hernandez is said to be the key to Barcelona’s revival. Under Xavi’s direction, tiki-taka and Barcelona’s DNA was reborn.
Barcelona seems to be going through a honeymoon moment with their coach who is also a living legend, Xavi Hernandez.
Slowly but surely, Xavi, who has held Barcelona since the beginning of November 2021, is starting to be able to instill his ideas.
Just look at the closing goal of Barcelona’s steady 4-2 victory at home to Napoli in leg second play-off Europa League 2021-2022, Friday (25/2/2022) early in the morning.
Barcelona fans seem to be reminiscing about the golden era of Barcelona, when Xavi still appeared as Barcelona’s midfield conductor with Andres Iniesta and led a beautiful orchestra called the tiki-taka.
Tiki-taka and the Aroma of Barcelona Luis Enrique
Sports world Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored Barcelona’s last goal at Napoli from 22 passes without breaking.
Also read: Scored from 22 Passes Without Breaking, Tika-taka Barcelona Rise in Xavi’s Era
Aubameyang’s goal process started with Gerrard Pique’s pass to the goalkeeper, Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Ter Stegen then bounced the ball towards Pedri. The ball continued to move and roll until it reached the feet of Adama Traore who was on the right side of Barcelona’s attack.
Adama Traore then stabbed in and delivered a late pass that led to Aubameyang’s goal.
Aubameyang can freely strike the ball into the Napoli goal after Frenkie de Jong made a trap move alias dummy clever.
Barcelona personnel also now feel confident the team has rediscovered the DNA of football that once raised them.
“We have returned to where we came from, to what we should have always shown and maybe for a while we didn’t show. This is a message to ourselves and to those outside. Little by little we are coming back,” said senior Barcelona defender Gerard Pique after the duel against Napoli.
Also read: Getting to know “Tiki-taQatar”, Xavi’s philosophy that made Barcelona fall in love
It’s not just about tiki-taka, the victory at Napoli also shows Xavi’s Barca ability to kill opponents with a direct approach alias direct.
Jordi Alba’s opening goal came from a counterattack. While Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s long pass started Frenkie de Jong’s second goal.
The pair of goals was the fruit of Xavi’s mandate that his team wanted to implement pressing high in the opponent’s territory. Even Xavi’s troops can sting with schemes direct just like Luis Enrique’s Barca who noted treble in 2014-2015.
Xavi the Motivator
After winning 5-3 on aggregate over Napoli, Barcelona are preparing to face Galatasaray in the last 16 phase and now they are touted as strong candidates to win the Europa League.
“Xavi the key motivator of Barca’s revival,” reads one article Branda Spanish media based in the City of Madrid.
Brand then highlight the way Xavi builds closeness with his foster children in Barcelona.
After the duel against Napoli, Xavi stood in front of the Barcelona dressing room and patiently greeted and hugged one by one his team.
A similar approach was shown by Xavi after Barcelona crushed Atletico Madrid 4-2 in the Spanish League stage on February 6 last.
Xavi’s desire to see his team appear dominant and in control has also begun to materialize. Barcelona has scored a total of 15 goals in the last 5 matches!
Also read: History of Cant del Barca, Barcelona’s Mandatory Song
“It was clear to me that the team had to control the ball. I suffered when I didn’t have it,” said Xavi explaining his football philosophy in the video released The Coaches Voice last year.
“I felt that when I was still actively playing and even more so when I was a coach,” said Xavi, who presented the 2018-2019 Qatar League title to Al Sadd.
Regarding conveying instructions to foster children, Xavi is very detailed, even tends to be fussy. When making his debut as Barca coach in the derby against Espanyol last November 21, Xavi even only had time to sit for 2 minutes!
Throughout the match, the Terrassa-born coach was busy improving positioning and fixing the flow of Barcelona’s players’ passes.
Athletic Bilbao will be the next test for Xavi’s men. Barcelona will host Bilbao at the Camp Nou Stadium, Monday (28/2/2022) early morning WIB.
Do not expect to see Xavi sitting comfortably on the bench. The 42-year-old man will definitely be busy making sure Barcelona can return to being dominant and confirms that his team is really in a period of revival.
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