Xavi Hernandez will take over a Barcelona team that coughed up a three-goal lead on Saturday, to ultimately draw 3-3 with Celta Vigo at Balaidos. Ansu Fati, Sergio Busquets and Memphis Depay all scored in what was a very good first 45 minutes from the visitors, only to see them suffer through the second 45 in which the Galician hosts pulled level at the death on the second of two goals from Iago Aspas.
Via AS:
If Xavi Hernández was watching on Saturday he will have been left in little doubt as to the magnitude of the task that awaits him when he takes over the reins at Barcelona on Monday. In Sergi Barjuan’s final game as interim coach, Barça cruised into a 3-0 halftime lead against Celta at Balaídos only to collapse after the break as the home side swarmed all over their opponents to pull off a remarkable comeback.
There were three reasons for Celta’s remarkable reversal: a righteous sense of aggrievement going into the break over some of the officiating in the first half, Barça’s loss of Ansu Fati, Nico – who had been the glue holding Barça’s midfield together – and Eric García before the second half started and a certain complacency that Celta were only too happy to exploit.
Goals from Ansu, Sergio Busquets and Memphis appeared to have settled the affair after 45 minutes but following the break Barça barely managed a foray in the direction of Dituro’s goal while Celta, who came out like a side scorned, were an offside flag and a Nolito handball away from taking all three points.
Aspas, Nolito and Aspas again found the net, the latter in the 96th minute to send Balaídos into rapture and Barjuan’s head into his hands. The Barça interim boss will return to the more sedate surroundings of the Estadi Johan Cruyff now while Xavi will have to make something of a side shorn of any self-belief and, at last count, 11 senior squad members.
The job was summed up by Frenkie de Jong after the game, the Dutchman diplomatically pretending he couldn’t hear a question as to whether any manager can fix Barcelona inside the current season. “No, it’s the players who have to do it,” he replied.
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