FC Barcelona Coach Xavi Blasts Mistakes And Officiating After Granada

FC Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez criticised his players and the officiating in Sunday night’s 2-2 draw against Granada, which left his team three points behind La Liga leaders Real Madrid on the cusp of the international break.

Barca fell 2-0 down within half an hour thanks to goals from a sensational Bryan Zaragoza, the first of which was scored after less than half a minute.

Even so, Xavi felt that his team “deserved more” from the tie after mounting a hearty comeback.

“We had patience, we dominated… We take away an insufficient point,” Xavi lamented.

“Perhaps it’s the match where we’ve had the most possession and also many chances. The pity is that we had to come back from 2-0 down. It was a good game in terms of play but not in terms of the result,” he added.

As expected, however, the perfectionist wasn’t happy with his side’s mistakes and called Bryan’s first strike exactly that after the usually reliable Gavi was dispossessed in midfield.

“We had talked about the midfielders pressing, being very aggressive, and it happened. The instruction was clear it, to play it forward. And it hurt us too quickly.”

On the second goal, where Bryan nutmegged Jules Kounde and showed great composure to pick his moment and then fire into Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s top corner with the outside of his left foot, Xavi noted that Granada had “caught us on the break again”.

“We knew Bryan was a bullet, that he went a lot down the right and that they relied on him a lot on the counterattacks. It’s not easy to stop when he’s in full stride.”

As Barca came back thanks to goals from Lamine Yamal and captain Sergi Roberto, they could have left with all three points had a potential winner from Joao Felix in stoppage time of the second half not been disallowed.

The header was ruled offside because of Ferran Torres’ positioning, but many argued that the Spain international did not interfere with play because the cross into the box that found the left winger went completely over his head.

“First, he tells me that he touches it, but then we see that he doesn’t. The referee interprets that he’s involved in the play. But who does he interfere with?” Xavi asked.

“Because the ball goes to the far post and doesn’t bother anyone. Just as he disallowed it, he could have allowed it. But luck was not on our side again.”

Praise was reserved for Lamine Yamal, who with his first half toe poke from close range set up by Felix became the youngest goalscorer in La Liga history.

“I always say the same; they gave me confidence when I was seventeen. And when we see that a player is capable of helping the team and earns it…”

“I’m happy for his goal; it was important and made a difference in trying to achieve a comeback that didn’t happen due to details.”

Above all, however, Xavi made sure that he gave his men their dues for showing “patentience”, “composure” and dominating the tie.

“I’m happy with the reaction, but we dropped two points. In terms of play, this is the way forward,” the manager concluded.