Following the Granada result, the squad had a long meeting about the future of this season.
Last Monday at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, as usual, the squad gathered again with the coach for the post-weekend match talk. But this time, after the draw against Granada (3-3), it was different. According to Ferran Martinez of Mundo Deportivo, on this occasion it was longer than usual, lasting about 2 hours, and had a peculiarity: only the players met with the coach, Xavi Hernández. No one else from the coaching staff was present.
After the unexpected stumble against Granada, a deep reflection took place, in which almost all the players of the Barcelona squad spoke. They tried not to leave anything unsaid, with a serious analysis of what happened and the team’s situation at such an important moment of the season. Everyone took responsibility and was especially self-critical, starting with the coach. The players, on their part, also closed ranks around the coach from Terrassa and consider themselves to owe something to the staff.
In the locker room, as Lewandowski demonstrated in the ‘Relats solidaris’ press conference, they do not want to think about potential future scenarios. “The coach now is Xavi, so that’s it,” the Polish player responded when asked about his former coach at Bayern. They are focused on this season and are united, as demonstrated in the two recent meals together, one at Lewy’s house and the celebration of Sergi Roberto’s birthday.
Ten points behind Madrid and following the fiasco in the Supercopa and the Copa, falling now in the Champions League would be a collective failure. There is no room for more mistakes because otherwise, in the end, they won’t be able to dedicate it to the coach.
