You would think it's anti-mockable, given the actual football Barcelona is more suited to the personnel he has playing for him. I hate to use the word, but "pragmatic"... Which we love on here of course
No, the main reason Barcelona lost yesterday was the red card caused by a defensive lapse.
This. It was always going to be tough with 10. On Xavi generally, he's one of the greatest players of all time. The number of people who fall into that category, and are also great managers is vanishingly small. Given that, I think he's been OK, overall. Not great, but OK. OK is obviously not good enough for Barcelona, which is why he is leaving, but he can do so with his head held high IMO.
I don't recall Sir Alex being sent off that game and leaving the team to their own for over 30 minutes of an super important tie.
There is no general agreement Nani shouldn't have been off. I don't think so, but others feel differently
Think so as well. Xavi completely lost the plot. I get that you miss the foul in the first or second replay but that just shows that you can't allow yourself to let your emotions get the better of you as a coach.
In that game United conceded two goals, one of which was a bit of a wonder strike. Barcelona conceded four goals.
I'm speaking about the defeat. Xavi lost his head and the team did as well, no excuses there. A stoic Xavi still loses and is out the tie, so unless you want to branch into a wider conversation about his temperament (which, most managers have those lose it moments), then the manner of the defeat doesn't really matter
It's not true though, is it? There are many great sides that do not concede 3+ goals when they're down to 10, including in CL knockouts.
If the criticism is about them shipping 4, fine. Pointless, but have at it
Mourinho was securing his job future
No with the personnel they had to be fair. They honestly did not have a good chance want they went down to 10 vs this PSG side. What sealed their fate further was the decision to not choose what Yamal could do to PSG"s backline in transition over Lewandowski's experience, which also was an understandable decsions. Thus I do not believe it fair to claim Xavi made huge tactical errors in the match. It was actually Araujo's sorry decsion making. Plus Cancelo's not long after that really turned eveyrthing on its head. Two unforced inidvidual errors
People overrate the impact of tactics when down a man.
Tactically I don't think there was much wrong with taking off Yamal apart with the benefit of hindsight. Lewa didn't have a great game but probably could've killed the tie on a better night. I do think Xavi's nervousness and its impact on the team's psychology shouldn't be underestimated though - it's not quantifiable, but it definitely has an impact. It's basic leadership.
Couldn’t agree more
I strongly disagree. PSG were already in control of possesion before the red card with Barca only hurting them in transition. The best transition play they made had Yamal wreck them, who PSG were struggling to leave with and Raphina in the support role, finish it off. Down to 10 men vs a team pressing and hogging possesion. Barca's only hope was to have pace on the break. Especially pace in some on able to hold the ball and pick the right pass at pace. Lewandowski was never the answer. Even the statistics show as expected he gave away the ball than anyone trying to hold up thr ball and launch attacks vs 4 defenders he couldn't get away from.
The thing is Lewa had zero chance of having a better night against that quality of opponent. Not with Barca without significant control of a decent share of possesion yet down to 10 men. Its true Xavi losing his head on the touchline wasn't helpful. But to me it was more of a reaction of witnessing Barca's goose getting well done on the fire as the match progressed.
The entire thing with 10 men is to make it as hard as possible for the opponent to overwhelm you with their sheer extra man. That can be done tactically. It is an up hill better yet rarely a completely lost cause.
Norman Whiteside would disagree
People think he's annoying now but he was a lot worse as a player, we don't call him 'jardinero' or 'meacolonias' for nothing. He's still an idiot but managing this Barca side has broken him and made him less insufferable or maybe I'm just enjoying seen him failing and having to quit for his sanity.
Definitely over Potter/Southgate
I'd take him to replace Casemiro.
No. Sore loser and whiny personality. I don’t want that combination from our managers. Plus he’d be praying at the altar of Guardiola’s willy every time we play Citeh
A part of me kinda wants the crazy Spanish football authorities to give them what they want and meet a fresh and rested Madrid team. And of course lose in spectacular fashion.Xavi whining about a phantom goal in the Classico. Laporta not ruling out legal action and demanding a replay
The one pic I’ve seen it doesn’t look a goal.
Why would it be any different? They both played midweek.
Only one team played for a 120 minutes. And a day later too. Anyone who's played sports at that level will tell you it makes a big difference.
We tried the bald way; now it’s the Lego way!
Werent Barca a man down?
Don’t see how that would matter as much as playing half an hour more, 24 hours later against Pep’s roboarmy.
I mean, I guess we could repeat the game after the end of the season, when we've already won the title...
Not necessarily… as has been demonstrated many times, and Xavi himself knows about it. He played for a Pep’s Barça (possibly the best ever) and went out to Mourinho’s Inter playing with 10 men at the Campnou… Same against Chelsea two years later (albeit with tremendous luck).
