THE XAVI HERNANDEZ STATEMENTS ANGERING THE BARCELONA BOARD

Barcelona are not enjoying their second full season under Xavi Hernandez, after an injury crisis coupled with poor results has left them playing catch-up in the table, and searching desperately for the right formula. Xavi himself is trying to claw back credit with the Barcelona hierarchy.

The Blaugrana made a last-minute change to their Champions League squad for their clash with Royal Antwerp on Wednesday, and reports are that it was President Joan Laporta who made the call, not Xavi.

This does not pair well with fresh information from Cadena SER that the board are frustrated with Xavi. While there is irritation and a ‘strange atmosphere’ in the offices at the Ciutat Esportiva, the board are on edge due to Xavi’s discourse.

After the Girona match, Xavi reviewed the tape, and concluded that Barcelona were better than Girona, based on the fact they had more chances. His feeling was that if they had been more effective, it would have gone in their favour, which is something that he voiced after the match in his post-match press conference – ‘the players are frustrated, we were better than Girona’.

This is wearing thin in the board room, who feel that Xavi has missed the point – Barcelona did not control the game at any point.

There have been a number of explanations after poor results for Barcelona this year that have not sat well with many, seeing the games differently.

Results will be the ultimate determinant for Xavi and Barcelona, but his public statements are only helping to sew the seeds of doubt currently.