5 Problems Xavi Must Now Fix After Barcelona U-Turn

There are still a lot of unanswered questions in Catalunya, despite the fact that the renowned midfielder, Xavi Hernández Creus is staying another season.

Xavi has made the decision to remain at Barcelona. Less than three full months after making unambiguous promises on multiple occasions that he would leave the team at the end of the season, he has made a very stunning U-turn, pledging to stay in command until the end of his contract in 2025.

READ ALSO: Xavi Explains Decision To Stay On As Barcelona Coach

The mood at the club has been positive in the week after his announcement. A club legend who won the Champions League is staying put to attempt to win a second La Liga championship in three years. Some fans don’t give a damn whether Barca is still in serious financial trouble or if Xavi isn’t the best manager in the world. The man they wish to continue leading will continue to do so.

However, reality must eventually set in. The work is far from done, even if Xavi pledged to finish his contract. This manager has actually dug himself farther into an awkward situation. Moreover, this isn’t just about letting the good times roll, even when he has the board’s support, the grace of certain fans, and the dressing room’s apparent support.

As Xavi returns to Barca with a lot of fires to put out, this is, in fact, an extremely tough task that will probably only get harder over the following 12 months. THEEAGLE has examined some of the most challenging assignments now available as a result.

Work within a tight budget

Barca are having financial problems, which is news that should come as little surprise to nearly nobody by now. Barca is still deeply in debt and will probably need to make more cost cuts in order to survive, even after Laporta tried every possible strategy.

It is unclear how that plays out on the pitch, but it appears that the team doesn’t have much opportunity for improvement at this time. Barca battled to recruit Vitor Roque in January, and they only managed to finalise the agreement after Gavi’s injury prevented him from playing for the remainder of the season. This was made possible by a La Liga loophole. That doesn’t give the Blaugrana much hope in trying to put together a summer spending schedule.

They might, in fact, have to sell in order to revamp things, and there are options on that front. Raphinha, who can fetch a handsome return, does seem likely to depart. There is even talk that one of Gavi or Pedri could be let go to increase the budget. It seems unlikely, too, that loan duo Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix can be bought permanently. Xavi, therefore, might be working with a weaker squad next term.

Win over the doubters

The initial response from the fan base to Xavi’s departure was one of disinterest. The manager’s strategies, which had been sufficient to win them the league in May 2023, had failed, and the Blaugrana supporters had to put up with a side that appeared to be lacking in creativity for the first five months of the year.

The team was led by a legend from the club, and goodwill towards him seemed to be eroding. It looked like Xavi’s time was up.

Naturally, things have now changed, as evidenced by the supporters who were heard calling his name during Barca’s victory over Valencia on Monday. However, that doesn’t really change the fact that this is a confused and angry audience.

The Blaugrana as an institution are a ghost of what they once were, without the huge La Masia stars (those with any experience, anyway) that propelled them through so many years of success and lacking a distinct Catalan identity.

The fact that Real Madrid is once again on the rise and Girona, its noisy neighbours, are getting better doesn’t help either. Xavi must create a cause for excitement among Barca supporters.

Find a reliable No.6

One problem that has dogged Xavi this season has been Barca’s inability to adequately replace Sergio Busquets, who left for Inter Miami last summer. In his last season in Spain, the regista was revived, appearing like the player he once was in a finely designed box midfield that freed him up to distribute and tackle without covering vast amounts of ground.

Given their financial problems, Barca were never going to discover the next Busquets, but they haven’t exactly done a great job of replacing him either. While Andreas Christensen is merely a converted center-back filling in, veteran addition Oriol Romeu has been a letdown.

The Blaugrana, then, need a new defensive midfielder. Martin Zubimendi would be the dream target, but Barca can’t afford him, and it’s unlikely that Real Sociedad would be willing to part with their best player. There’s been talk of a deal for Real Betis’ veteran midfielder Guido Rodriguez, but even that would be underwhelming for a club that needs to aim higher. Can Xavi cope, then, with another year of mediocrity at his most important position?

Match an improving Madrid

The situation that exists outside of Catalonia’s boundaries, however, may be the most worrying of all. The year ahead was expected to be a year of transition for Real Madrid, having lost both Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema. Rather, Jude Bellingham, the team’s possible Ballon d’Or winner, helped Carlo Ancelotti reimagine Los Blancos, and now they are poised to win both the La Liga and the Champions League thrice.

Barca should be concerned since things can only get better from here. This summer, Mbappe is finally expected to come, accompanied by Endrick, a wonderkid from Brazil, and potentially Alphonso Davies, a contract rebel for Bayern Munich. When those three is added to a young core that includes 23-year-olds Eduardo Camavinga, Vinicius Jr., Bellingham, Rodrygo, and Aurelien Tchouameni, this Madrid side is poised for long-term success. Xavi will consequently need to work hard if he hopes to stay up.

Solve the injury crisis

A “witch in the building” was what Jurgen Klopp once claimed to have believed to be the cause of Liverpool’s injury crisis at the team’s training facility. Although Xavi would feel the same way, the long list of fitness problems was probably more the result of bad luck and inept team management than anything paranormal.

Barça’s injury problems have been excruciating at times this season, as the Blaugrana have lost several important players to a variety of ailments. Due to a hamstring injury sustained in November, Gavi has missed the majority of the season; Alejandro Balder hasn’t played since January; Frenkie de Jong’s ankle problems are starting to cause serious concern; and Pedri is still not reliable enough to play for ninety minutes.

There is such a thing as bad luck, but, more broadly, Xavi might simply have to be more shrewd with how he manages this squad. Barca have shouldered youngsters with heavy minutes for years, while some of the older heads have simply looked too tired. Xavi can have complaints about squad depth and fixture congestion, but more simply, he will have to be careful about managing minutes.