"What's wrong with Xavi?", "We're losing" - Fans in disbelief as Barcelona superstar benched for La Liga fixture against Athletic Club
Xavi's decision to bench centre-back Ronald Araujo for their La Liga clash against Athletic Club shocked Barcelona fans, who expressed their dismay on social media.
Having amassed 21 points from nine La Liga fixtures this season, Barcelona find themselves in fourth place behind Real Madrid, Girona, and Atletico Madrid. A win would take them back to third place as they prepare for the upcoming El Clásico on Saturday, October 28.
Barcelona have been dominant in their fixtures against Athletic Club in recent years, remaining unbeaten in their last seven La Liga encounters. Despite their record, fans weren't happy about Xavi's decision to exclude Araujo from the starting XI.
The Uruguayan defender's recent form has been impressive. After missing five games across competitions due to a muscle injury, he returned to action with a 90-minute stint against Mallorca in September. He has been instrumental in Barcelona's back-line in all of his appearances, which makes Xavi's decision even more puzzling for fans.
Fans took to Twitter to question the Spanish tactician's choice, with one asking:
"What's wrong with Xavi?"
Another had already given up on the game:
"We're losing"
Here is a selection of their tweets:
Arthur Melo's Barcelona return was reportedly ruled out by Sergio Busquets
Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez had reportedly contemplated re-signing Brazilian midfielder Arthur Melo when he joined the La Liga giants as the manager. This followed a troubled stint at Juventus for Arthur, which included an unsuccessful loan spell at Liverpool.
A return to Catalonia could have been a fairy-tale sequel for Arthur. However, reports from Calciomercato (via JuveFC) suggest that this potential reunion was shot down, and the voice of reason came from Sergio Busquets.
Xavi's admiration for Arthur isn't newfound, as the Brazilian seems to align with the Barcelona manager's tactical vision. Also, given the midfielder's difficult spells at Juventus and Liverpool, a move back to Spain might have served as the perfect stage for Arthur to revive his career.
However, former Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets reportedly expressed reservations about bringing Arthur back into the fold. According to Calciomercato, the final call was to abandon the idea of re-signing Arthur, as Xavi was swayed by Busquets' counsel.