The global pandemic cast a gloomy shadow over football championships, suspending leagues and undercutting revenues of top football teams like Barcelona (Barca). While things began stabilising after the sport resumed in 2021, unfortunately for Barca, this was not the case. 

The Catalans lost their star player and living legend Lionel Messi to PSG over a situation many football fans never saw coming in their wildest dreams. Combined with their financial woes, Barcelona's performance on the pitch had come up to no good. Bayern's 8-2 defeat, among others, stained the team's reputation. Fans could no longer take it, and neither could the debt-ridden board, which had been sunk deep by its President Joan Laporta. 

The coach had to be fired, leaving club legend Xavi who had had a stellar career as Al Sadd"s manager, as the only option. He joined the team in April, and the rest is a history many pundits deem as Barca's comeback. This article looks at How Xavi has transformed the team since taking over Barcelona.

Tactics