Compassion for Xavi and Whispers of Wind for Barça

In a show of solidarity, masks bearing Xavi’s face and chants of “Xavi, stay” were prominent as Xavi stepped onto the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuic pitch in what marked the first game after his resignation as FC Barcelona’s coach. This encounter served as the initial interaction with the fans on the same stage where, just last Saturday, the team suffered a 3-5 defeat against Villarreal, dealing a severe blow to their LaLiga aspirations.

Support for Xavi… and Jeers for Some Players The crowd responded by rallying behind their coach in what has been a tragic week for the club, given the shock of the news just four months before the end of the season. However, the positive vibes in the Estadi Olímpic, which, as expected, did not reach full capacity and witnessed the third-lowest attendance of the season, did not manifest from the outset, at least not with the players.

Anticipation surrounded how the ‘gent del Barça’ (people of Barça) would receive the team following the coach’s announcement, and the initial response did not align with the club’s expectations or what Xavi would have preferred, emphasizing the message of unity.

The fans’ discontent became evident with the announcement of the starting eleven, with the names of the players displayed and chanted one by one over the stadium speakers before the ball started rolling on the Montjuïc pitch.

Right from the start, the sound of wind instruments accompanied by some jeers set the tone. Two players, in particular, faced the brunt of the fans’ frustration: Lewandowski and Koundé. Iñaki Peña, whose performance has come under scrutiny amid the team’s defensive struggles in the past month, also felt the unease from the supporters.

However, as more names were announced, the initial jeers gave way to applause. The disapproval from the crowd faded when names like Cubarsí, Araujo, De Jong, Gündogan, Lamine, or Ferran were mentioned, earning the approval of the faithful.

Once the game was in progress, it took time for the fans to connect with the team. Nevertheless, isolated jeers—most of the fans did their best to support the team on another chilly night in Montjuïc—transformed into exultation when Vitor Roque scored the winning goal in the 63rd minute.