In the previous season, Barcelona clinched their inaugural La Liga championship since 2018-19, as Xavi guided his team to a remarkable 10-point lead over their competitors, Real Madrid.
As Barcelona aims to secure consecutive La Liga titles, we examine five essential inquiries for the current champions as they approach the upcoming 2023-24 season.
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Will Barcelona’s Defense Maintain its Solidity During the 2023-24 Season?
Barcelona emerged victorious in La Liga with the most impressive defensive record among the top five European leagues in the previous season. They allowed a mere 20 goals while securing their inaugural La Liga title in the era following Lionel Messi’s tenure at the club. This translated to an average of 0.53 goals conceded per game, with an expected 0.88 goals against per game. These statistics were notably the lowest in the league and approached historical significance. Only Jan Oblak during Atlético Madrid’s 2015-16 season and Francisco Liaño of Deportivo la Coruña in 1993-94 conceded fewer goals (18) over a 38-game season.
This defensive achievement also marked the club’s finest season defensively in La Liga history, surpassing the records of the 2011 and 2015 Barcelona iterations. Under the management of Luis Enrique and Pep Guardiola, those teams conceded 21 goals each.
Although Marc Andre ter Stegen delivered an exceptionally strong performance, it’s important to recognize that depending solely on such extraordinary outcomes is not a sustainable strategy for future success.
Excluding own goals, Barcelona’s defense conceded on 17 occasions in the previous La Liga season. When assessing the quality of shots they faced from opposing teams (33.6 expected goals), Barcelona outperformed all other teams in the top five European leagues by conceding 16.6 goals less than what was anticipated.
Despite this, their defensive performance remained at an elite level. The team has further bolstered its defensive strength by acquiring Iñigo Martinez from Athletic Bilbao and Oriol Romeu from Girona, enhancing their defensive core compared to the previous season. Additionally, the addition of İlkay Gündoğan is expected to contribute increased control and creativity to the midfield, allowing Frenkie de Jong to build upon one of his finest seasons at the club.
While Jordi Alba has ventured to Miami alongside Messi and Alejandro Balde has solidified his role as the primary left-back, Sergio Busquets has also taken his talents to South Beach. The infusion of new talents might potentially enhance their defensive prowess beyond the achievements of the previous season.
Is Xavi Capable of Enhancing Barcelona’s Performance in European Competitions?
To suggest that Barcelona’s defense overachieved in La Liga last season might appear unjust, given their exceptional dominance. This cognitive dissonance emerges from their contrasting performance in European competitions, which was less impressive. While both Pep Guardiola’s and Luis Enrique’s teams secured La Liga titles in 2011 and 2015, as previously mentioned, they crucially maintained that high standard in Europe by also winning the UEFA Champions League.
Admittedly, Barcelona faced formidable opponents like eventual finalists Inter Milan and Bayern Munich during the group stage, followed by elimination from the UEFA Europa League by an improving Manchester United squad. However, Xavi’s record in European competitions remains the single remaining flaw in his otherwise relatively stable and successful 18 months in charge.
His primary objective remains unaltered: To restore Barcelona’s grandeur on the European stage.
The question arises: How can they achieve this? The initial step is defensive improvement. Xavi emphasized, “I’ve frequently heard that we are a defensive team. I find that astonishing. We are, alongside Manchester City, the most attacking team in Europe. We assume significant risks. We aspire to regain possession in the opposition’s half; we aim to maintain possession.”
Though the sample size is limited (six games), Barcelona’s average of 1.57 expected goals conceded per game placed them 17th in the Champions League last season. This stands in stark contrast to their 0.88 expected goals conceded per game in La Liga. While they conceded almost a goal every other game in La Liga, their average in the Champions League and Europa League was two goals conceded per game. Xavi’s Barcelona exerted dominance within Spain’s domestic league last season, yet he must strike the right balance to ensure their performance reaches similar heights in European competitions.
In Which Position is Ilkay Gündoğan Expected to Feature?
“I’m prepared to play wherever the manager requires me to,” Ilkay Gündoğan asserts. “I can also operate in a more defensive role like the pivot, and my adaptability has been evident in recent years.” The preseason period is just that – preparation, and Xavi needs to find a solution to fill Sergio Busquets’ shoes. In a match against Real Madrid, Frenkie de Jong assumed the pivot position with Oriol Romeu slightly advanced, while Gundogan played as a number 8 alongside Pedri.
The positive aspect for Barcelona and Xavi is the newfound midfield options. Theoretically, any one of the trio – De Jong, Romeu, or Gundogan – could step into Sergio Busquets’ role. However, the challenge lies in the fact that none of these players can replicate Busquets’ exact style. A period of adjustment is imminent, and we might witness a combination of strategies in central midfield before Xavi discovers the optimal formula.
Throughout the 2022-23 Premier League season, Gundogan operated in a defensive midfield capacity for 27% of his playing time. At 32 years of age, the German’s physical attributes may be waning, but his mental acuity remains as keen as ever, setting him apart – much like the slender Busquets – with his cerebral approach.
Is it Possible for Pedri to Develop Into a Well-Rounded Midfielder?
Barcelona has frequently faced criticism for leaning heavily on Pedri, but when a player exhibits the caliber he possesses, regardless of his age, it would be counterproductive not to build strategies around his strengths. At just 20 years old, Pedri is still in the process of development, yet Barcelona’s dynamics undergo a complete transformation with and without the influence of this exceptionally skilled Spaniard.
However, there remains one aspect of his game that requires refinement, an aspect which his manager is actively working on: becoming more involved in goal-scoring opportunities and getting into the box.
Pedri shared, “Xavi consistently encourages me to venture into the box, take more shots, embrace risks, and engage in one-on-one situations.” He expressed this sentiment after contributing to the winning goal against Atletico in January, stating, “I feel more at ease pushing forward, and Xavi played a role in today’s goal.”
His progress in this regard has been notable, but there’s potential for further advancement. The previous season marked a pinnacle in his Barcelona career, evident through his 0.23 expected goals (xG) per 90 minutes. He also demonstrated enhancements in his touches within the box (2.8) and shots within the box (0.7) on a per 90 basis.
The absence of Busquets should not adversely affect Pedri, considering the additions of Gündoğan and Oriol Romeu to the midfield lineup. This implies that Pedri’s responsibilities in terms of ball progression and build-up play around the central area are somewhat alleviated. As a result, he can now concentrate more on enhancing his contribution in the attacking third of the pitch.
Should Pedri successfully establish himself as a reliable source of goals, Barcelona’s resurgence to their former European glory could be closer at hand than one might anticipate.
Who Will be Taking Up the Right-Back Position?
Barcelona were taken aback when Paris Saint-Germain initiated a move for Ousmane Dembélé a mere two weeks before the La Liga season’s commencement. To be accurate, it wasn’t so much an offensive action as it was a phone call that informed the Spanish club of PSG’s intention to trigger the €50 million release clause for the French winger. Dembélé expressed his desire to depart, leaving Barcelona with the straightforward task of finalizing the paperwork to facilitate the transfer. They found themselves without recourse.
Consequently, Barcelona’s entire right flank faces a compromised situation. Xavi has introduced another starting-caliber center-back to the team with Iñigo Martinez’s arrival this summer. Alongside Ronald Aruajo, Marcus Christensen, Eric Garcia, and Jules Kounde, the central defense appears reinforced. However, the issue of the right-back position remains unsettled, lacking a player in the current squad whom Xavi truly believes in. Sergi Roberto has transitioned more towards a midfield role in recent seasons, and Sergiño Dest is striving to prove his value to the squad against prevailing challenges. While Kounde could potentially fulfill the right-back role, it’s evident he is less inclined to do so.
During the pre-season match against Real Madrid, the strategy was apparent, and the solution proved satisfactory for all parties. Barcelona fielded three central defenders, with Alejandro Balde operating as a left wing-back and Ousmane Dembélé holding the corresponding position on the right. However, this approach falters in Dembélé’s absence.
Presumably, Raphinha will temporarily fill the void, yet the Brazilian and the French winger exhibit distinct styles. In the previous season, Dembélé completed an average of 3.3 dribbles per 90 minutes, in contrast to Raphinha’s 1.8. It’s Dembélé’s capability to maneuver past opponents and create chaos that defines his playing style. Even if other aspects of his game are considered average, the loss of his dribbling prowess transforms Barcelona into a lackluster and sluggish iteration of themselves. Raphinha cannot replicate Dembélé’s contributions; a feat that few can accomplish.
There was a prevailing notion that Barcelona might offload a winger during the summer transfer window to generate funds. However, PSG targeted the one player Xavi was most reluctant to part with – the very player who possesses a contract clause that only grants Barcelona a fraction of the €50 million that PSG is prepared to pay for his acquisition. This scenario represents the worst of both worlds.
It is widely recognized that Barcelona is now in dire need of a replacement, yet their financial constraints impede them from comfortably accommodating the premium that most clubs demand even for preliminary discussions. Few individuals understand Xavi’s pressing requirement better than Pep Guardiola. According to reports, Barcelona has turned down their initial bid for Bernardo Silva, but it is reasonable to anticipate further attempts.
Although Xavi secured a comfortable victory in La Liga last season, his performance in European competitions will ultimately shape his tenure at the club. Thus far, his European record has been far from favorable. With the departure of aging stars from previous eras and the club’s precarious financial state, it has often seemed like their situation was held together through mere makeshift solutions.
PSG has now come in and disrupted Xavi’s delicate construction, leaving him with no alternative but to start anew. For Barcelona and Xavi, this presents a challenge that could be viewed as both feasible and honorable, requiring them to sit down and attempt to resolve it. However, the pressing issue is that they have only a limited timeframe at their disposal, armed solely with makeshift tools such as matchsticks, chewing gum, and rubber bands.
