Xavi: Bringing hope in trying times

It was another frustrating evening yesterday for FC Barcelona and its fans across the globe. It looked all hunky-dory in the first half with even Sergio Busquets finding the back of the net. However, the plot fell apart in the second session.

Such disappointments have become part and parcel of all Culers. The on-field performances --- without Lionel Messi --- are hardly noteworthy, and things are also not positive off the field, with the club’s financial situation extremely delicate.

Amid this gloom, Xavi taking charge of the team is like a streak of light at the end of a dark tunnel.

It should have happened at the start of the season; the writing was on the wall. At least, better late than never. Xavi doesn’t have a magic wand, and there is no guarantee that success will follow.

However, in times like these, an inspirational figure like him can do wonders. A person whom the players can trust and around whom the team can rally. Many legendary players have donned the Barcelona jersey over the years. Xavi falls in the top echelon of that category. He embodies this hallowed institution’s true essence and values, everything that makes this club ‘More than a Club’.

Success may not be a guarantee, but it’s a surety that he will never compromise on the style of the play. It is something that has taken a beating in the last few years. Win or lose, Barca were distinguishable by their playing style. That has ceased to exist. The talisman has often spoken about his faith in that style, and that will surely be evident.

He has, however, many things to rectify: both in terms of display and desire.

One of the significant issues is the part of the field that he commanded with elegance and purpose as a player—the Midfield. Along with Busquets, there are some quality players. But, lack of cohesion and creativity is remarkably conspicuous by its absence. Add to that the well-established issue of a leaky defence and lack of a proven goal-poacher. It is undoubtedly difficult to make up for the departures of Messi and Luis Suarez.

Ansu Fati is brilliant but has yet to hit that kind of mark and also needs to stay fit. That brings to another thorn in the flesh: injuries. Ousmane Dembele’s situation is inexplicable while injuries and fitness issues abound. The latest is Fati and Eric Garcia, who are both awaiting test reports to understand the extent.

There is no doubt that Xavi will be compared to Pep Guardiola. The former is, however, taking over at a more complex situation. The current Manchester City manager is the ultimate genius. Period. But, it is also true that he had some extraordinary players (in their prime) at his disposal in Barcelona. Yes, it was Pep’s brilliance to mould them in such a way that they will be remembered as one of the best club sides ever.

Xavi will not have that luxury, and all these rumours about players being lined up by the club to snap up in the January window doesn’t fully tally with the financial predicament. There will be some movements. Whether those will be top-notch signings remains to be seen.

Xavi never gave anything less than the very best on the field, and he will demand that from each player in the matches and the training sessions. The authority he commands in the team will not dither benching any player if he feels so.

Barca fans are known to be massively demanding, and there will be a lot of expectations from Xavi. However, he is taking charge at a challenging phase and will surely get the time and backing to turn things around. The rot can’t be made right overnight; it will take time.

The former head boy has come back to be the principal. For Barca faithful like us, it is time to be excited and look forward to the golden days once again.

Sabella: Memories of that Kolkata match and an interview

I was about to finish the first post for this blog on Tuesday night when my senior Siddharth Saxena's WhatsApp message popped up on the screen. "Sabella dead," it read, and startled me quite a bit. Former Argentina national team coach Alejandro Sabella had not been keeping well for quite some time and I had read a few days back on social media that his health condition had worsened. However, I had not kept track after that and had no idea that his condition had become critical.
I searched on the internet and found the news of Sabella's death on the website of a reputed Argentine media organisation. Just as the report mentioned, it was truly shocking news for the country and its football fraternity just a few days after the passing away of legend Diego Armando Maradona.
Sabella was an established player and, after retirement, had been assistant to Daniel Passarella for a while before making the foray as the man in charge. However, his career as head coach was cut short drastically due to his poor health. He was at the helm only at Estudiantes and the Argentina national team. Undoubtedly, the high point of his managerial life was to take the national team to the final of the 2014 World Cup, the team's best performance at the tournament since 1990 when they had also finished runners-up.
The fascinating part here is that India --- rather Kolkata --- had been an important milestone in his managerial career. It was in this city that Sabella made his debut as the coach of the Argentina national team in September 2011, beginning a cycle that ended with the loss to Germany in the World Cup summit clash at the Maracana three years later.
After a poor show at the 2011 Copa America under Sergio Batista, Sabella was handed over the reins of the Argentina team. Having taken over in August 2011, he was on the sidelines for the Albiceleste for the first time in Kolkata.
It was a Fifa international friendly against Venezuela, a match that is commonly referred to in the Indian football circles as the Lionel Messi match.
The match was on September 2 and Sabella, along with the Argentina-based players, touched base in the city about four days prior to it.
Access to the team was very limited but I still turned up at the team hotel on the same day of his arrival, trying to get some information or news to write about. After all, it is not everyday that the Argentina national team comes to play a competitive game in India.
It was around afternoon and I met a reporter from Clarin, who had come down to cover the game, at the hotel who told me that the team was having lunch. He also informed that, after a long journey, the members of the squad are tired and will be confined to their rooms for the remaining part of the day.
He left for his room while I waited at the lobby, hoping to get an interview with Sabella. I knew he could speak English.
As I was sifting through my wallet trying to find my visiting card, I saw a group --- donning the famous Argentina colours --- leaving the dining area. There was Sabella, along with a couple of players and members of the coaching staff.
While the others walked straight to the elevator, Sabella stopped at the newspaper board and started flipping through the pages. It was The Times of India.
There could not have been a better opportunity for me. I straightaway walked up to him, introduced myself as a journalist working for the newspaper he was reading and handed over my visiting card. He looked at me, then at the card and, while I expected him to turn down my interview request, said "just five minutes".
He, in fact, stood there for nearly double that time to answer my questions. For someone who had just completed two years in the profession, I was elated and thrilled. It was an exclusive and I knew it would be difficult for anyone to get an interview on that day.
Now, just as Sabella walked up to join the rest of the group, I saw very senior journalist Amitabha Das Sharma --- ADS to most of us --- collecting his bag after the security check at the hotel. He immediately spotted me.
With the corner of my eye, I saw Sabella disappear into the elevator. I was relieved. Had ADS arrived just a few minutes earlier, my interview would have no longer remained exclusive.
Coming to the match, Sabella decided to hand the captain's armband to Messi and it was from the Barcelona star's corner kick that Nicolas Otamendi nodded in for the only goal of the game.
That victory started Sabella's fruitful stint as the coach of Argentina which would have been even more remarkable had they not faltered at the final hurdle.
I had heard from journalists who had gone to Brazil for the 2014 World Cup that Sabella was also asked about the Kolkata match on the eve of the World Cup final.
For most people in Kolkata, Sabella will be primarily associated with that September 2011 match in the city.
His death is another upsetting news in this distressing year for the entire globe. Rest in peace.