Barcelona were stuck in a dilemma about their new manager after sacking Ronald Koeman. Erik ten Hag, Marcelo Gallardo and several other attractive options were in the market but none was available in January or until next season. Given the circumstances – even though Xavi lacked experience at the highest level as a coach – Joan Laporta decided to trust him with the reins of the new project.The start of Xavi’s managerial life at Barcelona was turbulent but the 42-year-old has exceeded all expectations. He has brought a different approach to the game, to the club’s crest and has all the integrity needed for the players to follow his every command. No wonder Gerard Pique couldn’t hold himself back from yelling “We are back” after their 0-4 thrashing of Real Madrid.Fri 22:30: (2.75) Egypt (2.75) Senegal (3.00)Former Barcelona captain Xavi has always been a true master of tactics on the pitch. Now we can see he lacks none off it also. He resorted to using modern strategies to keep the intensity high in the team with the attack being the first line of defence and fans are finally seeing it being implemented at Barcelona after years. Their beloved team have had problems with their pressing for years, and have been unable to keep up with modern teams who are much more intense. Humiliations against Bayern Munich and Liverpool are examples of the same.“We can’t have a player in our team who does not press. It’s very clear. Pressure is the basis of our game, it’s a non-negotiable,” Xavi said. Further, the ball progression is a lot more fluid, with recognizable patterns of attack in the final third.Apart from the footballing side of the game, the atmosphere in the dressing room needed some work. It was evident. And Xavi took care of that almost immediately. He turned his squad into a bunch of believers, it was important for Xavi to bring back joy to Barcelona and he succeeded. The crown to this element of the team’s resurrection could be seen after the El Clasico win.THIS > pic.twitter.com/XIfiYvGpMC— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 20, 2022 A huge factor in lifting the spirits behind the scenes was the inclusion of the likes of Dani Alves — injecting cheerfulness is something he is a master of.Speaking of veterans, Gerard Pique – Sergio Busquets – Jordi Alba trio have all been pulled under fire in recent years for underwhelming performances. However, since Xavi’s arrival, all three have been playing at an incredible level – Pique looks great in pairing with Ronald Araujo, while Busquets looks unplayable when in possession. Alba has rediscovered his best self – he looks more confident on the ball and has added long passes over the last line to his arsenal.Before their former teammate came and became their manager – Pique was having a solid season while Busquets and Alba were mostly hit and miss depending on the opposition under previous guidance. Look at them now.Xavi’s arrival changed the vibe around the younger Barcelona players also. The ones that should be taking over from the old guard such as Pedri, Ousmane Dembele, Frenkie de Jong and Araujo were going through turbulent phases and it’s been a different path for them since Koeman left.It’s official: Barca are back in business!After returning from a long-term injury, Pedri now seems to be operating at an unparalleled, world-class level. Araujo has taken multiple steps to improve his game, De Jong looks much more in control, especially in possession. Dembele looks unstoppable and has rapidly become the league’s second-highest assist provider. After a lengthy back-and-forth transfer saga, Xavi now surely hopes the Frenchman will stay at Camp Nou.A massive part of Barca’s comeback has been the signings and Xavi’s influence on them. He was the one to identify the best possible players in each role to be brought in but apart from the administrative and the scouting section of the transfers – he took a step forward to personally convince them to join the Catalan giant.Xavi’s presence was crucial in Ferran Torres signing for Barcelona, according to Fabrizio Romano. The Italian transfer guru also states that the manager has continued to hold secret meetings with potential targets for the upcoming transfer window.You belong where they love you: The doors of Camp Nou are always open for Messi to returnBarcelona would not have been able to sign a lot of players they did in January if it wasn’t for Xavi’s involvement. It wouldn’t be far from a fact to say that potential arrivals of Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie will happen because of the former La Masia student.The Blaugranes have a brilliantly laid out sporting project that is already starting to take shape. They may not have the financial muscle to compete with Manchester City or Real Madrid for Erling Haaland but – after the thrashing of their arch-rivals in El Clasico – Xavi’s plan may look too cool to be rejected.
