Xavi fumes after Barcelona’s ‘unacceptable’ performance against Almería: ‘the team lacked heart’

FC Barcelona escaped from their own home after being shocked, surprised and sat on the floor by an Almería side that had not won all season but who could have come away from Montjuïc with at least a point. The Catalans dominated in possession and chances created, eventually winning 3-2, but LaLiga’s bottom side drew level on two occasions and were it not for a late goal from Sergi Roberto, they would have left with a draw.

After the game, a visibly angry Xavi stood in front of the microphones of Spanish television and called the first half of the game “unacceptable” from his players. “It wasn’t good at all... they lacked soul”, he said about his players, “they don’t have what they showed last season”.

‘We have to improve in a lot of areas’

Barcelona started the game of brightly against Almería, a team with 5 points from 17 games and who are yet to win a single fixture. Chances, however, came and went for the home side who continuously let the away players off the hook. “It’s something that’s been happened for a month and a half, two months. We have to improve in a lot of areas”, Xavi concluded.

Raphinha put his side ahead after half an hour when Araujo’s header was parried into his path; smashing the ball into the roof of an empty net from close range is as good as a last-minute overhead kick when goals and wins are as needed as they are in Cataluña.

Léo Baptistão’s chip over Iñaki Peña before the break put Almería back into the game; a simple through ball from Arribas enough to send Barcelona’s defenders into a frenzy of confusion like a dog chasing two tennis balls.

Barcelona continue to look fragile

“We gifted them two goals”, said the coach, who stuffed his hands deep into his pockets as Ronald Araujo and Iñaki Peña collided to allow Edgar to equalise after half time. Sergi Roberto had headed past Maximiano but a defensive calamity from a long ball up the field saw the home side once again stand on a garden fork and watch as it flung up and hit them on the nose.

“In the second half we showed a bit more of what we’re looking to do”, the boss admitted, “we played with intensity, aggression and pressure”. It did take, however 82 minutes for Sergi Roberto to pop up again and slide a pass under the Almería goalkeeper.

The three points see Barcelona (38) move ahead of Atlético Madrid (35) by three points, albeit they have played one game more than the side from the capital. The Catalans are four points from Real Madrid (38) and six from league leaders, Girona (44).