Lbequeathed the big week for him Barcelona. The one in which it will finally be truly measured what paste this team is made of and, above all, how far it can go. The Catalans are playing in a few days to move forward in European competition and see what level they are in with respect to their biggest rival, the Real Madrid. That will be in the Classicbut first it’s time to resolve your future in Europe.
Being eliminated from European competition twice in the same season is something that Barcelona is not used to digesting. Much less his fans, especially punished by the qualifying rounds of Champions of recent years. Don’t go ahead on Europe League It could be a trauma that interrupted the state of optimism in which the Catalans have been living for a long time.
The improvement in the game and in the results is proven. For weeks the team has been getting things the way its coach wants. The signings have given the squad a jump in quality and this Barça has been losing goals lately. They will have to try to continue this trend to topple a Galatasaray team that already made it clear in the first leg (0-0) that it is not as weak as its poor performance in the Turkish league might indicate.
The Turks have as coach Domènec Torrentan expert who knows how to play the Barcelona. Already in the match Camp Nou He showed that he knows how to tickle the Catalans. As much as Xavi insisted that his team deserved to win that day, the truth is that the Turks could also win the day. The feeling left by that match is that the tie is much more even than it Xavi is willing to admit.
The field factor
The biggest inconvenience of not having done your homework in the Camp Nou game is having to go to istanbul to risk life. The Stadium it is always an uncomfortable place for visitors. More in Europe and more when the tie is so open. The azulgranas are aware that what awaits them there tonight will force them to be at a high level.
Everything will happen to be as effective in attack as they have shown in recent weeks. With 12 goals scored in their last five games, Barça trusts the good work of their forwards.
Leaving aside the long-term injuries, Barcelona arrives at this meeting with the only loss of Daniel Alves, not registered in the Europa League. Xavi will be able, therefore, to put on his gala team to try to win the quarterfinals.
As has happened since he took charge of the team, veterans will be especially important in tonight’s appointment. As much as young people like Pedri or Ferran Torres are having a leading role in their Barcelona, it is footballers with boards who must guide the team in a territory as hostile as tonight’s.
The example of Naples
Inside the locker room, the speech that Xavi has repeated the most these days is that the situation is similar to what was experienced in the previous round, when they had to stand on the Diego Armando Maradona with everything to do. That day the Barcelona he signed one of his best games since the one from Terrassa is in charge. That game should serve as an inspiration.
It is also a “litmus test” for the workforce three days from a Classic. emerge victorious from istanbul can suppose a push facing the party in the Santiago Bernabeuwhile dropping eliminated could take its toll.
In any case, what nobody considers is that Xavi is going to do rotations thinking about the match Chamartin. Although they have run rivers of ink talking about what the culé fan prefers between winning today or winning the Clásico, Xavi it is clear. The first thing is to stay alive in Europe.
