WORK FOR XAVI
Barça's mistakes to correct in 2023
FC Barcelona's draw against RCD Espanyol (1-1) exposed the sins of Xavi Hernández's team, which cannot be repeated in 2023 if they want to win titles
The FC Barcelona could not happen of the tie against the RCD Espanyol in the return to LaLiga Santander 2022-2023 after the World-wide of Qatar. The team of Xavi Hernández came with the illusion to tope after having left good feelings in the last parties before the stop of selections. Had the opportunity to keep the advantage of two points on the Real Madrid, but remained in the attempt.
And it is that the Barça, although it was very upper against the Espanyol, committed a lot errors that punished them more than the account in the party and, of there, the nefasto resulted. The culés were victims of a bad arbitration of Mateu Lahoz, but the responsibility -as it said Xavi Hernández- was of the own culés.
The blaugrana were not conclusive, forgave neither 'killed' to the Espanyol when had the opportunity. It was missing them believe it and follow the plan that had of start, that was to sentence the party very soon. Marcos Alonso opened the marker to the seven minutes after a corner and centre of Christensen, but the advantage could increase in two or thrice more during the first 45'.
To the Barça was missing him this instinct that, in other parties, yes has had to go out to win immediately and, as well it said Xavi, if it does not close the prompt party finish paying the consequences for leaving to the rival with life. It happened against the Espanyol (further of the referee's controversy) and can be an authentic problem if it goes back to repeat in the next parties.
If Lewandowski does not mark...
Another point that has to generate worry in the Barça and in what it has to work no rest is in the fault of goal when Robert Lewandowski is not hit. It has remained the feeling, once again, that if the ariete Polish is not, to the culés finish them his instinct goleador and, precisely, in front of the 'pericos' the '9' was not further of two interventions in the second half.
His mates in the attack did not have his afternoon, although the hopes were put in them. Ansu Fati And Raphinha had a lot for showing and remained in a want to and can not. The Brazilian was very active and brushed the goal in two clear occasions, but finish desinflándose. The '10', by his part, began very voluntarioso, but did not take in turning off .
And it is not because the Barça do not arrive to the rival field or do not generate occasions of goal, because in the first-half were 20 the opportunities to mark, but remained without clarity in the last pass. It is a point (and sin) that is not new, all the contrary, but that it has to resolve prompt because the dependency to Lewandowski begins to be dangerous.
Fall in the 'game'
Against the team of Diego Martínez, the Barça suffered more from the mental that from the physicist. The frustration of not being able to find the way to the goal and see all the efforts reduced in at all, affected to the culés more than the account, especially because the Espanyol achieved empatar the clash in his second clearer approximation to the area of Ter Stegen, after a penalti of Marcos Alonso on a Joselu that won without problems to the guardameta German.
The Barça left the feeling that it lost the concentration and, although they went back to presionar and signed occasions to achieve the victory, left backwards the firmness and reliability that had allowed them be by in front in the marker. Besides, they fell in the 'game' of Mateu Lahoz with the protests and finish accepting a 'parade' of yellow cardboards in the second half, included the expulsion of Jordi Alba.
