FC Barcelona suffered a humiliating defeat to Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final, revealing the obvious differences between the two teams and calling into question the leadership qualities of Xavi Hernández as a coach.
Xavi, a Barcelona legend as a player, has been heavily criticized for his performance as a coach this season. The team has failed to find a solid player identity under his leadership and the lack of dominance in games is evident. Barcelona's performance is far from the club's historical standards and Xavi's tactical decisions have been questioned.
A coach who is far from the expected level
The poor performance of all Barcelona players suggests that the playing system implemented by Xavi is not maximizing the team's potential. Strategic and tactical mistakes happen again and again and the distance between the current Barcelona and its glorious past is obvious.
Barcelona's position in LaLiga, eight points behind the leaders, and its uncertainty in the Champions League reflect the lack of competitiveness under Xavi's leadership. Despite having good players, the team has failed to excel in important games.
The Spanish coach is now under the microscope and at the center of criticism at this difficult time for the club. There is a feeling in the culé environment that Xavi may not have the necessary capacity to lead an ambitious project that wants to compete for all the titles.
The loss to Real Madrid could mean the end of Xavi's cycle as Barcelona coach, with a move urgently needed to restore the club's greatness. If Barcelona wants to be among the best again, change is urgently needed.