former Spain national team manager Robert Moreno
Speaking on Radio MARCA, former Spain national team manager Robert Moreno has claimed that Xavi Hernandez and his coaching staff are doing a good job a Barcelona despite their failings in Europe.
Xavi recently completed one year as the manager of Barça, having taken over from Ronald Koeman in November 2021.
While he has failed to take the team past the group stages of the UEFA Champions League in the last season as well as this season, there has been progress in terms of how the Blaugrana have been playing admirably in La Liga and are currently seated at the top of the table.
And Moreno reckons that there are things that the Catalans still need to iron out under Xavi, but the 42-year-old and his staff have done a solid job so far.
“I see it as a good team, within the conditions of the squad that it has been left with. I understand the message they have sent out of confidence and that it is a good squad among those in Europe. Maybe not one of the best if you compare it with others in terms of experience, but they are evolving,” Moreno said.
The former Spain boss also highlighted that he had seen some interesting tactical variations made by Xavi to tackle certain situations but sometimes circumstances have gone against Barcelona.
“I have seen some interesting tactical variations, they have been able to overcome difficult moments, and, after that, football is what it is. There are many circumstances that we coaches don’t control, even though we are responsible for almost everything that happens,” he added.
“For example, a draw that is not entirely favourable, certain very specific situations in matches that cannot be an excuse, but that is a reality with refereeing.”
Moreno also hailed Barcelona legend Gerard Pique as one of the top three in the club’s history following his retirement earlier this month, saying:
“He is someone special because he is different. And when you are different, like him, in the end you make a mark on people.
“It’s clear that a player like him, who has been around as long as he has, with the contemporaries he has had and being so important and so indisputable… automatically puts him in the top 3 in Barça’s history.”
[Source: barcauniversal.com]