Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez lambasted for comment after narrow Alaves win

Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has generally been received positively since taking over the position two years ago. Having now had significant time in the post, criticism of Xavi is growing following a series of poor performances.

The Catalan side were beaten by Shakhtar Donetsk last week, and in their two La Liga wins since being beaten by Real Madrid in El Clasico (Real Sociedad and Alaves), they have rode their luck to get results.

Xavi has been obstinate in his response, and demanded a reaction from his players ahead of their clash with the Basque side, but conceded within 17 seconds, and were lucky not to be down by more, before eeking out a 2-1 win. After the match, Xavi told Sport that he did not hear the whistles from the Montjuic crowd at half-time.

“I haven’t heard them, we were ready to encourage the youngsters. The team has had an orderly mentality. We look for solutions so that the footballers feel more comfortable. What the press says affects the team’s game, scenarios are generated that are not real, this affects them.”

He continued on to explain that he had faced similar during his own career.

“It has happened to me. A negativity is generated. In the second half, no. The team has been recognisable. They too are affected by what is said around them. It doesn’t affect me. I’m not playing the games. I don’t get nervous. They told me I was Barca’s cancer and here I am. This is what I told them at half-time. These players deserve credit. We are bad at the moment, but we managed to pull off a win in a game that turned very ugly. I value the personality of coming back.”

After these comments, many were confused and frustrated with Xavi shifting some of the blame for the poor form to the press. It seems a weak excuse to many, when every Barcelona manager has to deal with microscopic analysis of their coaching.

Certainly the criticism at Barcelona and Real Madrid is sharper than anywhere else, but it comes with the territory of having more resources than everyone else in the league. Regardless of how much of a role the press play, performances will have to improve for Barcelona.