Xavi’s Announcement Effect: Barcelona Gains 17 Points out of 21

Xavi Hernández consistently boasts about FC Barcelona’s response since the announcement of his departure on June 30, and the numbers undeniably support his claims. Despite the team’s play not being as fluid as desired, and the recent struggle to secure a victory, Barcelona has accumulated 17 points out of 21 possible in La Liga since the fateful match against Villarreal (3-5) that marked the delayed departure of the Egarense.

With five victories and two draws in the league, Barcelona has defeated Osasuna (1-0), Alavés (1-3), Celta (1-2), Getafe (4-0), and Mallorca (1-0), while dropping points at home against Granada (3-3) and away at San Mamés (0-0).

Another clean sheet Notably, during this streak that needs to continue against Napoli, Barcelona has kept clean sheets in the last three matches, signaling the first steps towards becoming a solid and trustworthy team once again. The return of Ter Stegen has played a crucial role in this defensive improvement.

This resurgence allows FC Barcelona to stay in the race for the La Liga title, although they are still trailing behind the leader, Real Madrid. The team currently sits in the provisional second position on the league table with 61 points, 2 more than Girona, and is 5 points behind Real Madrid, who face Celta de Vigo on Sunday (18:30 CET) at the Santiago Bernabéu.