Xavi’s Barcelona silenced the Santiago Bernabeu with a stunning four goal demolition of Real Madrid in the coach’s first league Clasico.
Barcelona’s win was welcomed by the silence of home supporters and the sound of around 300 Barcelona supporters celebrating high up in the currently-under reconstruction Bernabeu. The old stadium had not seen Barcelona take a wrecking ball to Real Madrid like this since their coach was out on the pitch under Pep Guardiola.
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Although the title race for 2021/22 is still more than likely over, the manner of this win away to Real will have given Xavi and his team the belief that their post-Lionel Messi rebuild will bring results and a return to past glories.
His plan in his first league clasico was to slow Real Madrid’s inevitable march to the title and make a statement of intent for next season. But Barcelona’s 4-0 win was so emphatic (it could have been six or seven) that the victory might even take some of the shine off of Real Madrid’s eventual crowning. Many wonder what might have been if only Barcelona had hired Xavi at the start of the season.
“It reminded [me] of the 1-2 of 2004 a little, but there is work to be done,” Xavi said. “This is not a trophy. We have to work with solidarity. There’s a long way to go. We still have goals of the season to achieve. We have to continue.”
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