Thursday’s Copa del Rey last 16 tie against Unionistas on Thursday is a must-win for FC Barcelona, according to AS.
Should the Catalans fail to prevail, head coach Xavi Hernandez will be fired from his post as the disappointment of squandering the chance to win two trophies in four days will be too much to bear for the board.
Xavi received public backing from sporting director Deco at the weekend, but the club is reeling as an institution after Sunday’s 4-1 loss to Real Madrid in El Clasico which saw Barca cede its Super Cup title won against the same opposition a year ago.
The Blaugrana made it to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey last term where they were again thrashed by that same score – 4-1 – on aggregate after Los Blancos mounted a four-goal comeback at Camp Nou which was Barca’s heaviest defeat there against their sworn enemies in 60 years.
As Barca is fourth in La Liga and the Champions League is difficult to win, the Copa might represent their most realistic chance of clinching silverware this term which could save Xavi’s head.
“This year the objective is to win important titles: the Cup, the League or the Champions League,” he outlined at his pre-match press conference on Wednesday.
“If the objectives are not met, I will be the first to say that I have not met them and I will leave.
“This is my reality. I think we are much closer to success than defeat. Despite losing the Super Cup, I think we are closer to victory. I don’t control [what happens] outside,” Xavi added.
Barca didn’t get their Copa campaign off to the best start by only getting past Barbastro 3-2 in their competition debut.
Against Unionistas, Xavi will be without eight stars thanks to a list of injuries and suspensions across his squad and will field a second string outfit.
This consists of Inaki Pena in goal protected by a back line of Alejandro Balde, Andreas Christensen, Jules Kounde and Hector Fort.
In midfield, Oriol Romeu returns to the fold to provide support as a pivot to Fermin Lopez and Frenkie de Jong.
Up top and across the team, the biggest surprise is that Vitor Roque gets his starting debut as a striker to rest Robert Lewandowski with Joao Felix to his left and Ferran Torres to his right.
FC Barcelona Starting XI: Pena; Balde, Christensen, Kounde, Fort; Romeu, Fermin, De Jong; Felix, Vitor Roque, Ferran Torres