The problems at Spanish football champions FC Barcelona are increasingly becoming a crisis. Three days after their cup knockout, the Catalans remained winless for the third time in the last five competitive games in the 3:5 (0:1) defeat against Villarreal FC despite a goal from national team captain Ilkay Gündogan.
Gündogan was involved in all three of Barca’s goals. Meanwhile, Barca coach Xavi is drawing surprising conclusions from the ever-increasing problems. At the press conference after the defeat against Villareal, he announced that he wanted to quit as coach of the Catalans at the end of the season: “I decided to do this a few days ago. I think it’s time”said the former world-class player. “The club needs a different impulse”.
Xavi has been training FC Barcelona since November 2021. The 2010 World Champion and European Champion of 2008 and 2012 had previously trained Al-Sadd in Qatar. With Barça he won the championship and Supercup in 2023.
Against Villarreal, Barça fought back from a 2-0 deficit and initially turned the game to 3-2. The German national soccer player Ilkay Gündogan scored the 1:2 and prepared two more goals. Villarreal turned the game around with three more goals, two of them in stoppage time, but then again and won 5-3.
Real pull away from Barca
As a result of the defeat, Barcelona lost further ground to the new league leaders Real Madrid. The “Royals” around national soccer player Antonio Rüdiger and former world champion Toni Kroos prevailed with a little effort 2-1 (0-1) at UD Las Palmas on Saturday (January 27th, 2024).
Coach Carlo Ancelotti’s team is currently two points ahead of Girona at the top of the table. The surprise team can pull ahead again on Sunday with a win at Celta Vigo. However, Madrid then played one game less. The capital city club’s lead over arch-rivals FC Barcelona is already ten points.
Tchouaméni scores to win
The late victory in Gran Canaria was secured by midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni, who headed a Kroos corner into the goal (84th minute). Previously, striker Vinícius Júnior (65′) had equalized the hosts’ lead through Javi Muñoz (53′). It was Real’s fifth league win in a row and the team has been unbeaten in the Primera División since September.