A goal in the last breath, a celebration that will remain etched in the retina and a League title that begins to be tinged with blaugrana. Barça’s victory against Real Madrid allows them to caress the regularity trophy with their fingertips with 12 days to go before the competition lowers the curtain. The choral work of the entire team is about to allow them to reap the rewards, after four seasons without being proclaimed League champions.
Barça’s numbers in the domestic competition are on their way to breaking all records. It is a practically perfect season. Only points have been left on four dates: two draws (Vallecano Ray y Espanyolboth at Spotify Camp Nou) and of defeats (Real Madrid y Almeria, at home). At the moment, Xavi Hernández’s men have 68 points and could overcome the 100 barrier, even losing one game or drawing two.
But let’s go in parts because this has not been a bed of roses for Barça. In fact, the first setback came in the league debut against the Vallecas team. Iraola’s men scratched a goalless draw at the Estadi that gave fuel to the team’s detractors, fueling the already classic runrún.
On the second date of the calendar, however, they defeated Real Sociedad 4-1 in a great display by the team. Since then, and counting the meeting in Anoeta, the blaugrana chained Seven consecutive wins: 4-0 against Valladolid, 0-3 against Sevilla, 0-4 against Cádiz, 3-0 against Elche, 0-1 against Mallorca and 1-0 against Celta de Vigo.
First classic and change of leader
In the first clásico of the season, Real Madrid took the plunge, after a resounding 3-1 win at the Santiago Bernabéu. Both teams arrived at the match tied on points and allowed Ancelotti’s men to put land in the middle of the table.
Despite this hard setback, Barça did not give up at any time and He achieved an objective that he had between his eyebrows: to reach the World Cup break as leaders of the classification. The blaugrana did not fail in any duel until the beginning of November, while Madrid chained two consecutive skids: a 1-1 draw against Girona and a 3-2 defeat at home against Rayo Vallecano.
Xavi’s men visited El Sadar on the last date before the World Cup and, despite starting behind on the scoreboard, Pedri’s goal and Raphinha’s in the last breath they gave the three points to Barça in one of the most heartfelt celebrations in the dressing room. Everything looks better from the rear-view mirror leading the classification.
Triumphs by the minimum and change of system
The one from Iruña was one more of the victories that Barça has reaped for the lowest income. There are 12 games that the culés have solved with a single advantage goal, nine of which by 1-0 or 0-1. Rivals like Atlético de Madrid, Villarreal, Valencia or Athletic Club have suffered firsthand the ‘unocerismo’ of the Blaugrana.
Precisely, facing the lions in the first round, Xavi integrated a technical variant in the team that allowed him to give that ‘click’ and take a step forward as a collective. The man from Egar sacrificed a pure striker to introduce a false left winger and act on four midfielders. Pedri began as this most ‘free’ man, but the one who has acted the most in this position has been Gavi.
Xavi has managed to build a solid block and keep all the members of the squad active and integrated. Starting with the defense: the best in all of Europe. Kounde, Araujo, Christensen and Balde are the ones who attack first and those who defend best. All of them, shielded by a Ter Stegen who is going through his prime. A second youth. Only He has conceded nine goals and has kept the lock on his goal in 19 gamesachieving unmatched resources throughout Europe.
An almost perfect 2023
The bell rang twelve hours after Barça returned to domestic competition after the break for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Espanyol scratched a point at the Camp Nou, thanks to a penalty from Joselu in the final stretch of the match. New year and new life. Barça counts the matches of 2023 by victories, with the exception of the visit to the Power Horse Stadium in Almeríawhere Rubi’s men won 1-0, a defeat that leaves a record of 10 wins and a draw.
The defeat in Andalusia can be considered a ‘rare bird’ for Barça this season, since one of the strengths of this team has been not to lose points away from the Camp Nou. The victories in Anoeta, Sánchez-Pizjuán, Mestalla, El Sadar, Civitas Metropolitano, Benito Villamarín, La Cerámica or San Mamés attest to this.
The merit is even greater for having survived much of the year to the absences of Pedri and Dembélé due to injury, as well as that of Lewandowski during three games due to suspension; in addition to the departures of Bellerín, Memphis and the retired Piqué in the winter market without incorporating any signing. Players like Balde, Frenkie de Jong, Kessie, Sergi Roberto or Raphinha have taken a step forward and the block has known how to deal with the sticks in the wheels.
To put black on white and with the calculator in hand, Barça has led Real Madrid by 15 points in the standings since the classic of the first round. While the blaugrana have scored a semi-plenum in 2023, the whites have experienced the opposite: five wins, three draws and three losses; which means 18 out of 33 possible points.
To all this, we must add the Spanish Super Cup that lifted Barça to the sky of Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), beating Real Madrid 1-3 in an authentic display, assuming Xavi’s first title as a Blaugrana coach. In addition, the culés start with an advantage to access the Cup final, after beating the meringues 0-1 in the first leg that hosted the Bernabéu.
