Not even three wins in a row has been able to chain Barça not three wins in a row mixing any competition. The data that confirms the team’s stumbling march, which has never been able to pick up a cruising speed that places it where it should. It is slowly getting there, although the results suggest that an acceleration is taking place.
Athletic is presented at the Camp Nou, which is the last team to beat the Catalans. It was on January 20, in San Mamés, in the only Cup duel, resolved in extra time for the Basque team (3-2). The rojiblancos have already made it to the semi-final of the tournament, and they will play it on Wednesday against Valencia, at the Mestalla.
Xavi admits that this Barça “is different” the one that fell just over a month ago in Bilbao. He has not lost since then (four wins and two draws), so the team is somewhat safer. Or feel safer. “It is clear that we have improved, but it is also evidence that we still have to improve more,” said the coach.
The offensive plot has been improved, explained Xavi, with the movements with and without the ball and the arrival of the interiors in finishing positions. There is more security and more confidence in the pass and longer possessions. And, on the other hand, there is still a lot to evolve in the defensive phase: loss of concentration, protection of the area in strategic actions, coordination to maintain the defensive line…
only twice to zero
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The results corroborate this: Barça scores more goals (two games in a row with four in favor, and three of the last five), but they still haven’t closed the goal with a bang: they have only remained unbeaten in two of the 11 games since restart of the competition in January: in Mallorca and in Vitoria, with both victories by 0-1.
“We cannot say that we are at a very high level; at times yes, but at others not,” admits Xavi, who does not change his speech, maintaining that he does not rule out any title, but advocating keeping “all humility and all calm” after the great victories of Valencia (1-4) and Naples (2-4). He prefers the posture of prudence and that be Joan Laporta, the president, “a natural leader”, who expresses the joy for the team’s triumphs, as was seen after the European match.