the Sevilla-Barça hot notes

Intentions without fruit. Alba serves fouls over the opponent’s area for the first time in nine courses. Araujo, a specific central scorer, must play on the right wing. Xavi criticizes the regulations that prevent him from putting as many young people as he would like. These are three examples of the precarious Barça of the end of 2021, a team that was eliminated from the Champions League and that lives in seventh place in the League. With the arrival of the new technician, the intentions are solid and promising, but without resources to live up to, there is a risk that the matter will remain at the roots and will not bear the expected fruits. Few winter markets as decisive as the one about to open.

Curious revulsive. Xavi asks for signings by land, sea and air. The urgency of the line-ups is clear, with the messages at the press conference and the changes he is making even in favorable scenarios such as the one found in Seville after the expulsion of Koundé. His team needed revulsive to look for a win in a difficult field and the only convinced replacement he made was Nico, who replaced Jutglà in 73. Lenglet came in almost at the same time because Eric was injured and Luuk de Jong was a last minute resource. Not a trace of Riqui Puig, who continues to collect substitutes, or Coutinho, a very expensive luxury chronicled on the bench.

No to wasting factors. Five of the seven goals that Xavi’s Barça have received in the league have been on the ball. At Pizjuán, when Barça played best, Papu Gómez made it 1-0 in a rehearsed corner. Merit of the Andalusians, who executed the board with precision. Only a defender stuck to the post of Ter Stegen – a lost tradition in modern football – would have avoided the goal. The strategy saved Sevilla from a bad start and, minutes later, installed justice before the break, when Araujo flew to finish off a cross from Dembélé. It’s another factor, and Barça is not about to ignore it. Both in attack and defense.

Below the level. In any case, Barça ends the year at an acceptable distance from the Champions League and with promising foundations. Between the burden that can be removed, what can be incorporated at a reasonable price and the return of important pieces such as Ansu Fati, Pedri or Memphis, Xavi will have arguments to, at least, tie the place to the maximum competition. However, he will start 2022 with a pending subject: extracting juice from Frenkie de Jong, whom he has replaced twice in a row in the second part. The Dutchman and Dembélé – if he ends up renewing – are expected to perform at the level of their emoluments.