CHENNAI: The winter transfer window has proved to be a fruitful one for Barcelona. Coach Xavi Hernandez has strengthened his squad by bringing on board the likes of Ferran Torres, Adama Traore and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The jury is still out whether the new signings can turn the season around for Barcelona or not but the revamped Catalan side will face their first big test on Sunday when they host reigning La Liga champions Atletico Madrid at Nou Camp.
Barcelona are currently fifth in the table with 35 points from 21 matches and are off the pace in the title race, sitting 15 points behind Real Madrid. But they can boost their chances of a top-four finish if they can beat a struggling Atletico who are placed fourth with 36 points.
Diego Simeone’s Atletico have lost five of their last nine games and have been inconsistent throughout the season.
However, the Rojiblancos have not lost to Barcelona since December 2019 and former Barcelona and Atletico Madrid star Luis Garcia feels that Atletico will hold an edge over their rivals because of experience in their squad.
“Xavi has landed in Barcelona during the club’s transition phase. They are moving towards a new style of play with a young team with fresh recruits and new incoming players.
"The new recruits could help the team on Sunday but experience in football is very important. And Simeone has so much experience competing in this type of match. It’s a very different match to the matches we normally see and anything can happen. But I believe that Simeone and his experience may tilt the game in his favour,” Garcia told TOI.
Elaborating further, Garcia added: “Atletico have players who have been there, done that. I feel they are suffering from a lack of confidence because their defence is not performing well this season. So it’s a question of recovering the confidence because they have the same players who won the league last year.”
The former midfielder has faith in Xavi in turning things around for Barcelona in the long run.
“We have seen that there is no dearth of talent in Barcelona squad. They can play good passes and build attacks but it’s important to have strikers who can complete these moves. Xavi has said that he likes to use the space well and we all know his philosophy. But it will be interesting to see whether Traore, Aubameyang and Torres will be able to adapt or not. These players are good signings and now it’s up to Xavi to weave his magic,” Garcia asserted.
