Every promise is simultaneously a renunciation. Often, sacrificing one’s desires or vision to uphold a promise believed to be more just and noble can gradually erode and incapacitate a person, much like a slow, unseen wound.
The Weight of Promise and Nostalgia at FC Barcelona
Since Laporta’s second arrival at FC Barcelona, his greatest strength lay in promising everyone that they would be happy again. This promise entailed a renunciation we all willingly embraced because nothing in life is more pleasurable than living what one desires. We indulged in unrealistic doses of nostalgia, eagerly accepting them, intoxicated by a world we didn’t want to reject.
Barça had returned, bringing with it everything that being a Barça member implies: winning, playing well, and once again possessing a revitalizing story. Xavi became the ultimate object of desire, the focal point. The coin was already in the air.
The deal’s success hinged on Xavi becoming what was envisioned. There could be no difference between the projection, the ideal, and the final outcome. Xavi was more than a coach; he represented a way of understanding life. With Xavi, superiority was always assured, as he had taught us through his brilliance on the field. Even in defeat, Xavi would deliver a redemptive speech, finding a winning argument in loss that could diminish the victor’s triumph and console the defeat.
Less than three years later, the results are clear. Xavi’s rhetoric fluctuates between the unreal and the excusatory, the gameplay has become painfully stagnant, and the Barça fan risks believing that improvement is impossible. This acceptance might apply to signings but should never be applied to the performance on the pitch.
The Fracture of Expectations: Xavi and Laporta’s Dilemma
Just like long-time couples living in twilight convenience, the relationship between Xavi and Laporta has been shattered by the realization that the theater of their ambitions can offer no more than it already has. The happy days and moments of complicity have been spent, leaving behind only a shared passion for music, something that once meant everything but now means nothing. Both Xavi and Laporta cling to a self-conscious optimism, having tasted success and lost touch with reality and mortal problems.
In their quest to reclaim the summit, which Laporta had promised, Barça had to abandon temperance as a guiding principle, opting instead for fervor and immediate results—a strategy unequivocally validated by Xavi’s achievements. Xavi’s continued tenure wasn’t solely due to his tactics but rather his previous success, which breathed oxygen and prestige into the club. The pressure didn’t stem from fans or the environment but from the coach himself, who asserted, “If I had not won LaLiga and the Super Cup, I would not be here,” setting the objective to “play better” and “win titles.” Having tasted success, accepting anything less than excellence would be akin to a traumatic demise.
Inside FC Barcelona: A Drama Unfolds
Barcelona’s recent tumultuous months could easily be the plot of an HBO series, reminiscent of “Succession,” featuring characters who smile through their tears, ratifications that feel like stabs, and a universal aspiration to save oneself at the expense of others, all under the guise of familial unity. A decision months in the making was reversed in a mere two-minute meeting, with press conferences treating coaching Barça as a torturous penance, punctuated by Laporta’s tears and smiles, and the repetitive invocation of the word “project” as both a promise and an unfulfilled prophecy.
Amidst this chaos, multiple realities collide. Barcelona boasts a formidable squad that, despite its health in September and October, seemed unable to perform, waiting in vain for a spark that never came. Now, in May, missing key players like Gavi and De Jong, and with Pedri returning from injury, the team’s performance has worsened.
However, the issue extends beyond personnel; it’s a fundamental lack of direction. What was once Europe’s best defense now appears mediocre, revealing that success was more emotional than tactical, driven more by instinct than strategy. The team’s gameplay problems have been addressed by the coach solely in terms of areas and competitiveness, neglecting the deeper issues at hand. If the players can’t compete, then ultimately, it’s the coach who bears the brunt of responsibility.
Barcelona’s Season of Change: Struggles and Illusions
The truth is that Busquets departed while Romeu entered, marking a painful transition. However, Gündogan stepped up, emerging as Barcelona’s MVP of the season. Dembélé exited, whose contribution didn’t necessarily enhance team performance but rather increased individual plays. In his place, Lamine Yamal emerged, outshining the Frenchman’s previous seasons. Alba’s departure paved the way for Cancelo, Kessie, and Xavi’s arrivals, bringing in Fermín, Eric, and Cubarsi, injecting new energy into the squad. The overall consensus in August was that the team had improved.
However, the inability to foster collective growth, coupled with ineffective communication management, hindered the necessary evolution, causing the team’s progress to stall from a steady stride to a forced, sluggish crawl.
Winning the league title failed to solidify a collective identity; instead, it temporarily masked underlying issues. The emphasis on defensive efficiency and the adherence to Unocerismo tactics clashed with the traditional tactical and emotional culture of the club and its players. The prevailing sentiment is that the club missed an opportunity to propel itself forward, despite being on the brink of progress.
The club’s decisions seemed based more on hope than reality. Xavi’s appointment, much like Laporta’s return and their shared optimistic rhetoric, was seen as a nostalgic gesture, albeit with a winning potential. However, both Xavi and Laporta’s approach to victory and defeat has been marked by stoic acceptance, focusing more on peripheral issues rather than addressing fundamental challenges. It’s a reminder that the club’s true strength often emerges when it appears most vulnerable. Remember, the greatest gains often come from the brink of apparent defeat.
