16 January 2024 , 21:37
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A number of Barcelona players are losing faith in struggling manager Xavi, as the inquest into their embarrassing 4-1 defeat to bitter rivals Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final goes on.
Real went 3-0 up through a Vinicius Junior hat-trick inside the first half, with Barca's high line being exposed time after time by the rampant Blancos side. The manner of their humiliation forced Xavi to apologise to Barcelona's supporters, some of whom travelled to Saudi Arabia to watch the final.
But it's not just Sunday's defeat which has left the Barca dressing room divided, as it's claimed that several members of the first-team squad have been questioning Xavi's tactics and team selections for a significant period of time. According to ESPN, the ex-Barcelona midfielder is fighting to keep a number of stars on side as their hopes of retaining the La Liga title also fade.
Xavi's men are currently fourth in the table, eight points behind surprise leaders Girona, who they lost 4-2 at home to in December. Barca also lost the season's first edition of El Clasico on 'home' soil, as they continue to play at the Olympic Stadium in Montjuic while the Camp Nou undergoes a major reconstruction.
Despite a section of the Barca fan base urging club chiefs to make a change, sporting director Deco said when asked about Xavi after the loss in Saudi: "The question doesn't make sense. It's a final. This is not the time to talk about Xavi's future. He has the confidence of the president, the sports management... It's a tough defeat that has to be discussed, but it doesn't change anything."
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Xavi himself, who's been accused of favouritism within the squad, confessed to Movistar post-match: "Disappointed, sad. We had a lot of hope, a lot of enthusiasm and we had the worst game of all. We started very badly, we were able to get one back but the 3-1 score made things difficult for us.
"Madrid have done us a lot of damage on the counter, we have not stopped those counters, and today we have to live the bitter side of football. I apologise to the fans because it has been difficult for us to compete. We have not been comfortable at any time, we have been dominated. I apologise to the fans because we have shown a poor display. I have lived through very tough defeats and we have recovered. Barca will return."
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Xavi has been charge since November 2021 and won the La Liga title in his full season (GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)Captain Sergi Roberto added: "Right now we are angry about the defeat, against Real Madrid it always hurts and I think those two goals in ten minutes were the game. We knew that with a goal we were in the game again, but it wasn't to be. I'm sure we'll get out of this. Now it's time to be self-critical and learn from our mistakes."
Striker Robert Lewandowski also posted on social media: "Not an acceptable outcome tonight. Sincerest apologies to all the Barcelona fans."