"Get this bum coach out" "We deserve Europa League football" - Barcelona fans troll Xavi for benching 'world-class' player for crucial UCL clash against Inter Milan
Barcelona fans are fuming with Xavi Hernandez's decision not to start Frenkie de Jong in their huge UEFA Champions League clash against Inter Milan on October 12.
The two sides face off at the Nou Camp, with Barca eyeing revenge against Inter, who beat them 1-0 at the San Siro on October 4.
The Nerazzurri controlled much of the midfield during that encounter, and many had expected Xavi to look at potentially bringing De Jong into his starting line-up tonight.
The Dutch midfielder has made nine appearances in all competitions, most coming from the substitutes bench. If he is going to make an impact at the Nou Camp this evening, it will again have to be from the bench, as Xavi has ignored calls for the Dutchman to start.
The Spanish tactician has gone with the same XI that fell to defeat last week in Milan, bar Andreas Christensen who misses out through injury. Marc-Andre ter Stegen starts in goal, with Sergi Roberto, Gerard Pique, Eric Garcia and Marcos Alonso in defense.
Pique comes in for the injured Christensen and all eyes will be on how he fares having been given a rare start.
Gavi, Sergio Busquets and Pedri line-up in midfield, with Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Ousmane Dembele in attack.
Barça XI
#BarçaInter https://t.co/2de5ewbR7k
Much of the reaction from fans has been over De Jong's exclusion from the starting XI.
Here are some tweets from supporters displaying their displeasure with his omission:
@barcacentre Where is frenkie 😭
@barcacentre Xavi is clearly not serious 🤦🏾
Frenkie is world-class, Xavi is disrespecting him
@barcacentre Get this bum coach out
@barcacentre We are finished man😓😓😓
@barcacentre WHY IS DE JONG NOT STARTING FFS
@barcacentre XAVI OUT XAVI OUT XAVI OUT
@barcacentre Europa is certain
We deserve Europa League football, Frenkie benched yet again
Barcelona need to beat Inter
Barcelona are in dire need of a win against Inter following their 1-0 defeat at the San Siro on matchday 3.
Xavi's men created chances on the night, but it was the Serie A side that came out victorious and as a result, hold a three-point lead over the Blaugrana.
Defeat for Barca tonight could see them heading back to the UEFA Europa League for the second season in a row.
Barcelona exited the Champions League in the group stages in 2021 and will be eager not to replicate their disappointing outing in Europe once again.
They have been in superb form in La Liga, winning all but one of their eight fixtures and currently sit top of the league via goal difference.
Xavi will hope his team can carry their league form into Europe. Their performances in the Champions League haven't been good so far. A 2-0 defeat at Bayern Munich on matchday 2 was hard to take given Barcelona had been the better side for much of the first half.
However, they did beat Viktoria Plzen 5-1 on matchday 1 but their performance against Simone Inzaghi's Inter left much to be admired.