- Barcelona boss Xavi is under scrutiny after back-to-back defeats
- The Spaniard reportedly receives no support from the boardroom
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Barcelona boss
The Catalan giants have struggled to shine this season as they look to retain their LaLiga crown. They currently sit in fourth place after being seven points behind leaders Girona, which they were stunned in a 4-2 home defeat on Sunday.
And after another defeat in the Champions League, beaten 3-2 by Belgian side Royal Antwerp on Wednesday, Xavi is now facing ‘maximum pressure’ and is not being supported by any of the club’s six board members, according to the Spanish newspaper. IF.
Among them are President Joan Laporta, Deco, Rafael Yuste, Joan Soler, Enric Masip and Bojan.
With a trip to Valencia on the horizon, leader Real Madrid.
Barcelona boss Xavi is under pressure on his position following the defeat to Antwerp, reports claim
The Spaniard has no support from any of the club’s board members, including president Joan Laporta (L) and former teammate Deco (R)
It added that the shock defeat to Girona ‘did a lot of damage’ and ‘fueled the team’s distrust’. AS went on to say that Xavi is now ‘more alone’ and ‘needs a demonstration of authority’ after their last loss against Antwerp or he will ‘find himself in the abyss sooner than many thought’.
The signs look ominous for Xavi, whose former Barcelona teammate and now sporting director Deco played a coy approach when questioned about changes to the squad in the final minutes, saying the decisions were up to the coach.
It was initially announced that Robert Lewandowski, Ilkay Gundogan and Ronald Araujo would not travel to Belgium, as a place in the knockout rounds was already guaranteed.
But it was later revealed that all three had been added to the traveling party, amid rumors that President Laporta had insisted on their inclusion.
“It was decided that everyone would travel and whether Lewandowski plays is up to the coach,” Deco said. ‘The decisions are up to the coach, but nothing has been agreed with him.’
Barcelona suffered damaging back-to-back defeats after recently losing 4-2 at home to Girona
Xavi now knows that if his team loses to Valencia this weekend, he will be in a ‘very weak position’
After the match, Xavi admitted he was ‘concerned’ about the team’s poor form, saying the entire squad had to be ‘critical’ of themselves.
“Yes, I’m worried,” he said. ‘It is normal.’
‘The team doesn’t feel comfortable. We have had a bad run of negative results. We must be critical. The opposition generates a lot of (opportunities against) us and it costs us too much. The positive point is that we are in the round of 16.
‘On Monday we are in the draw and we are at the top of the group, so we have to congratulate the team, who have done their homework. But we have to get back to good football.’
