Xavi's forced reaction and an absence that lengthens

Barça needs to react this afternoon against Alavés in Montjuïc and will have to do so, once again, with the absence of Frenkie de Jong. The Dutch midfielder, who suffered an injury to his right ankle during the match against Celta on September 23, is still not feeling well and his return will be delayed until after the next break due to the commitments of the different national teams.. In this way, he will have been in the dry dock for around two months, despite the fact that, initially, there was even speculation that he could have minutes in the last Clásico that the Blaugrana played against Real Madrid on October 28. .

The Dutchman's loss also coincides with a very notable drop in the Barça game, which is why he is expected to be a stimulus that will provide clarity.. Today, without Gavi, they entrust Pedri to stay afloat in the League, where despite the game, in recent times they have only given up defeat against Ancelotti's team, since they achieved two triumphs at the buzzer against Athletic and the Real society. It was in the Champions League where they suffered a notorious setback last Tuesday against Shakhtar, in a duel that could have meant their mathematical qualification for the round of 16.

Xavi knows very well that now is the time for his figure to be noticed. Maybe more than ever. “It is my moment. I have the problem as a coach.. We have to tweak things, propose alternatives, but we won't invent anything either.. “We have become disordered little by little and we must return to being faithful to our identity,” the coach harangued.. «The attitude has never been lacking. “This locker room is hungry, it wants to win titles and now we have to show it on the field,” he concluded.