Barcelona's roller coaster journey under Xavi so far
Barcelona, one of the greatest clubs in football history, have blown hot and cold under manager and club legend Xavi Hernandez. There are many reasons behind their inconsistent run of form, which includes poor decision-making in the transfer window as well as extravagance on player salaries.
Ronald Koeman took charge of Barcelona in August 2020. He failed to make an impact and got his team relegated to the Europa League and finished in third position in La Liga. The following season, he once again failed to impress and was sacked, with Barca in 9th position in the league.
Barcelona's UEFA Champions League group stage standings - 2020-21 season
Then came the beloved Barca player Xavi Hernandez, who's regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time. He came in at a very difficult time as the club had over €1 billion debt and were struggling in domestic competitions as well as Europe.
It has been a bumpy road for Xavi since then. Although he took Barcelona from the 9th position to second in the table, 13 points behind the league winners Real Madrid, he failed to win the Europa League. Barcelona were defeated in the quarter-finals of the Europa League by eventual winners Eintracht Frankfurt.
BARCELONA 0-3 EINTRACHT FRANKFURT https://t.co/LYELLyzOyF
Barca secured the UCL spot for the 2022-23 season but yet again failed to qualify for the round of 16 and ended up in the Europa League. Barca signed the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Franck Kessie, Jules Kounde and Raphinha in order to find back their lost glory and go further in UCL but they failed to do so.
This is the first time this century that Barca have played in the Europa League for two consecutive seasons. It last happened in the 1998-99 season, which is unfathomable. Barca will play against Manchester United in the Europa League Round of 32.
Barcelona's optimistic 2022-23 La Liga performance
Xavi has had his ups and downs during his 14-month tenure at Barca, with failures in important games and European competitions too. But one thing is crystal clear: Xavi's Barcelona is showing great intent and they surely know how to win key matches in La Liga. They currently sit at the top of the table with 41 points; 3 points ahead of defending champions Real Madrid. They recently won the Spanish Super Cup, which was Barcelona's first trophy under Xavi.
Xavi has 34 wins and just four losses in 43 games, which is an enormous improvement compared to Koeman's days. They have also conceded the fewest goals (6) across Europe's top five leagues, which is a commendable achievement. Barca still don't play a consistently strong brand of football as they often lose their 1-goal lead in the dying moments of the match.
¡Un año excepcional, Xavi!
@FCBarcelona_es 
❤💙 ¡Un año excepcional, Xavi!
😍 @FCBarcelona_es
#LaLigaSantander https://t.co/TQt4LHyZj4
The coach cannot be questioned or criticized after such performances and the board will surely give him enough time to build an unreal squad that can compete for any tournament in the world. At the Blaugrana, the expectations are obviously high and players are expected to play every game at the highest level. Culers across the world will be demanding Xavi win La Liga and Europa League too this season.