FC Barcelona caught in a desperate loop
Barça flies in a vicious circle. And this is exactly what is morally “killing” the team under the leadership of Javi Hernandez. In San Mamés, the Blaugranas once again had a great opportunity to revolutionize power and increase their self-esteem. This was impossible, neither in the result nor in the performance, so in a sense the enthusiasm of the cules returns to the starting point, and this cycle was constantly repeated throughout the season. Every two or three steps forward there is another false step that stops any forward movement..
“We need to hit the table”– Xavi lamented after the draw in Bilbao. This phrase sums up the feeling of a group that is frustrated and somewhat despairing due to their inability to separate themselves from unhappiness and negativity. No matter how much the team works and believes, every now and then they get hit, which resets the level of enthusiasm and returns Barca to a situation of many questions and few answers.
In the run-up to the match in San Mames there was a lot of talk that if they won The Catalan side will undoubtedly reach their best point of the season since those wins over Real Betis and Antwerp back in September.. After Real’s sting in Valencia, adding three points in the match against Athletic would confirm Barça’s good momentum and resume the fight for La Liga. And all this with Naples on the horizon. But once again Barça slipped on the diving board just before the big jump. The usual scenario for this entire season.
Emotional hits at key moments
In the Classic of the first round Barca could overtake Real Madrid at the top of the table. After a very good first 60 minutes, Xavi’s team lost. Undeserved of course, but what could have been an injection of morale turned out to be a bad drink. White opened a gap.
A few weeks later, the Blaugranas regrouped and aimed for a revival in their special ‘big week’. Barça defeated Atlético Madrid and also hosted Girona in Montjuïc. Michel’s team won with a score of 2-4. and the Barça team was once again plunged into a sea of doubt after the fragility shown towards the people of Girona.
In Saudi Arabia, as in the previous campaign, The Spanish Super Cup was seen as a great opportunity to mark a turning point.. It was, but in a negative way. Real Madrid beat Barça in the final and this greatly influenced the Barça project.
Fall, get up… and fall again
But if there’s one thing this Barça team has going for it, it’s that they rise again and again. The team won on the Betis pitch in the 90th minute and the cup match against Athletic became the final. Real Madrid were not in the knockout competition, so moving to the semi would mean an exponential increase in the number of title options. Once again, the day that was supposed to be used for the “click” turned into a nightmare. Barça lost in extra time, and just three days later another defeat to Villarreal would mean Xavi would announce his farewell at the end of the season.
He continued to row the Catalan team, above all clinging to the possibility of staying alive: the longer the better in the Champions League. Good dynamics and good play in Naples raised the level of excitement. Also a draw for Real Madrid in Valencia. The Bilbao final was the perfect moment to galvanize Barcelona fans..
And again a big trigger. Without football and chances, the Blaugranas did not accept the gift of Real Madrid and with their dull 0:0 draw they returned to the black hole in which they constantly live: injuries, doubts and a feeling of instability. This is a cruel “déjà vu” that severely punishes hope.. Both the fans and the locker room are tired of suffering more than having fun.