After fulfilling his dream of returning to his love, Barcelona, as a coach following his success as a player, Xavi Hernandez will need to tackle five issues at the Catalan club to get it back on track. Barcelona confirmed early Saturday the signing of their former player to oversee the remainder of this season and the next two seasons, succeeding the dismissed Dutch coach, Ronald Koeman. This came after Qatari club Al-Sadd announced on Friday that they had reached an agreement for their Spanish coach's departure to "Camp Nou."
Taking over from another former "Blaugrana" player, Koeman, who was the first to lead Barcelona to the Champions League title in 1992 against Sampdoria (1-0 from a free kick in the second extra time), Xavi faces a tough task in restoring the team to the status it held when he led the midfield to claim the domestic league title eight times and the Champions League four times before leaving in 2015 to play for Al-Sadd.
Barcelona is suffering from a severe financial crisis due to debts, part of which stems from the massive salary of Argentine star Lionel Messi, who left the club to join Paris Saint-Germain last summer when the latter could no longer bear the burden of his salary. Currently, Barcelona occupies the ninth position in La Liga after winning only two of their last seven matches.
Agence France-Presse looks at five matters that need addressing at "Blaugrana":
1. **Narrowing the Gap with the Top Four**
The difficult financial situation that Barcelona is experiencing means that the club cannot afford to miss out on qualifying for next season's Champions League. The club's debt stands at €1.35 billion ($1.57 billion), and any attempt to rebuild financially and on the pitch will depend on participating in the Champions League next season. The situation is salvageable, as Barcelona can make up the six-point gap that separates them from leaders Real Sociedad, with a game in hand. However, there is no room for complacency considering the number of teams competing for the top, including second-placed Real Madrid, just one point behind the leader, and the title-holders Atletico Madrid, only three points behind, with both also having a game in hand.
2. **Qualifying for the Champions League Round of 16**
Barcelona has revived its chances of qualifying for the Champions League Round of 16 with two consecutive victories against Ukrainian Dynamo Kyiv, following two humiliating 3-0 defeats to German Bayern Munich and Portuguese Benfica. However, there is still work to be done, as Barcelona must travel to Munich to face Bayern in the last round after hosting Benfica on the 23rd. Securing a second qualification spot in Group E (Bayern has already secured the first after winning all four of its matches so far) will provide the new coach with an early boost of credibility while saving the club from losing the €9.6 million they would earn for reaching the knockout stage.
3. **Improving Playing Style**
The main criticisms directed at Koeman were regarding his playing style, as many performances lacked either creativity or a clear sense of strategy. While Barcelona may not possess the same talents they had during Xavi's days with Andres Iniesta and Messi, there is still room to improve the current performance. Blending the club's traditions of ball possession with a modern counter-pressing style could revive nostalgic memories for fans and instill confidence in players that the long-term vision is at least on the right path.
4. **Relying on Young Talents**
One of Koeman's significant achievements was promoting a talented group of young players, and now the challenge lies with Xavi to maximize their potential. Ansu Fati and Pedri are certainly prospects to build on for the future, but others like Uruguay's Ronald Araújo, American Sergiño Dest, Gavi, Nico González, and Alex Balde have also shown plenty of talent and need the right nurturing. If he can invest in their talents alongside more experienced players like Gerard Piqué, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba—whose futures also need managing—Barcelona could have a very exciting future.
5. **Turning the Page on Messi**
Lionel Messi's move to Paris Saint-Germain in August created a significant void at Barcelona, as his absence exposed cracks that had long been covered. Barcelona has struggled to score goals this season amid Memphis Depay's inconsistent performances and the limited offensive contribution from compatriot Luuk de Jong, but there has also been a lack of belief. Koeman continuously demanded realistic expectations, but his pessimistic assessments sometimes bordered on defeatism. Barcelona may not be able to afford signing a star like French Kylian Mbappé to fill the void, but for now, it seems players need some confidence to manage the team as cost-effectively as possible and to lead it towards improving results and alleviating its severe financial crisis.
