Football/ Tensions Rise at FC Barcelona: Xavi and Media Clash Amidst Team Struggles
The atmosphere is becoming increasingly tense at FC Barcelona. After publicly blaming the Catalan press for the team’s troubles, coach Xavi Hernandez received a sharp response that is unlikely to improve the situation.
Despite a narrow 2-1 victory over Deportivo Alavés, where they quickly fell behind after 18 seconds, Barcelona’s performance, ball usage, and offensive play failed to impress once again.
In a post-match press conference, Xavi surprising attributed the team’s struggles to media criticism, stating that it creates negativity and tension among players. He urged the players to ignore such external factors and play freely.
«what say the press affects to the team. They generate stages that are not the real and affects. It generates a negativity that affects. It affects them too what says in the surroundings. There is a nervousness exaggerated in the surroundings», Xavi said.
In response to Xavi’s comments, Barcelona’s sports journalists, notably Achraf Ben Ayad, were quick to reply.
Ben Ayad argued that if players cannot handle media pressure, they don’t deserve to play for Barcelona, emphasizing that criticism comes with the territory, especially for players representing a prestigious club like Barcelona.
The tensions between the coach and the press add another layer of complexity to the club’s current challenges.
