FC Barcelona’s Worrying Free Kick Stat And What Xavi Is Doing To Resolve The Problem

The amount of games that FC Barcelona have now gone without scoring a free kick is alarming, but first team coach Xavi Hernandez is well aware of the problem and is trying to find a resolution to it.

Put simply, not one single Blaugrana star has scored from a dead ball situation outside the 18-yard box since the club’s second all-time appearances leader took over as head coach in late November.

Memphis Depay came closest in recent weeks, in the unsuccessful second leg of the Europa League quarter-finals against Eintracht Frankfurt while denied by Barca loanee Inaki Pena.

Yet the Dutchman’s demotion to the bench since his compatriot Ronald Koeman was dismissed means the Catalans are often left without a specialist in free kicks whenever the opportunity arrives in a dangerous area.

None of Xavi’s current preferences on the front line – Ferran Torres, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang or Ousmane Dembele – fit the bill, which often results in whoever has been assigned the task looking to knock a cross in for the likes of Gerard Pique, Ronald Araujo or super-sub Luuk de Jong to head home if the ball has been stopped in a position that facilitates such an endeavor. Otherwise, it is a case of hit and hope.

As argue that the issue overall “encourages defenders to play with more intensity” and “take more risks” after having previous concerns that free kicks with players such as Lionel Messi around “were almost half a goal”.

Indeed, Barca have gone from boasting a long list of great free kick takers in the likes of Bernd Schuster, Diego Maradona, Koeman, Hristo Stoichkov, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Messi to now not scoring a free kick in 50 games.

In fact the last time they scored one was when Messi, who left for Paris Saint Germain at the start of this season as a free agent, netted his 50th in the discipline against Valencia towards the end of the last campaign.

Attentive as ever, though, Xavi is reportedly seeking alternatives and has encouraged Pedri and Gavi to hone their skills in this part of the game.

While the former is currently out injured, the latter has been seen regularly practicing free kicks at the CT Joan Gamper to offer the manager better options.