The ordeal of the goal compromises Barcelona in Europe: 27 teams have scored more in the Champions League

• Group E This is the classification

Tired of journalists inviting him to imagine a scenario in which Barcelona would be left out of the knockout stages of the Champions 21 years later (

was the coach and

the president),

, with the firm verbiage that characterizes him, he wanted to settle it as soon as possible. But this has not happened. You tell me about a very negative hypothesis. Why do I have to answer that? I don't contemplate it. I am very positive. Very much. I envision winning. It's my illusion and Benfica will only take it away from me if we don't win. But now let me dream.

The situation is simple. And raw. If Barça beat

Benfica today at the Camp Nou

- one point below in the table, but 3-0 in the first round at Da Luz - they will ensure qualification for the second round. If he draws or loses, he will play it in Munich against Bayern already in the round of 16, but knowing that the Portuguese receive the limited Dinamo Kiev on the last day in Lisbon. What would be the preamble to a sporting and economic cataclysm (20.2 million euros if they did not reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League).

Of all the problems that this Barcelona has to solve to be something like a reliable team, that of the goal is perhaps the most worrying.

His figures are striking, especially in Europe, where he has only been able to score two goals in the four games played.

Both against the same rival, the bottom Dinamo, an opponent who has started the six points of his group.

The first was scored by a center-back,

, after a second play generated after a corner.

The second,

, thanks to a

center

in Kiev badly rejected by a defender.

Nothing more.

Four clubs equal or worse

Up to 27 teams have scored more than Barcelona in this group stage.

There are only four clubs that are the same or worse.

And all of them agree that they are bottom in their groups: Besiktas (two goals), Shakhtar (one), Dynamo Kiev (zero) and Malmö (zero).

Teams like Bayern (17 goals), Manchester City (15), Ajax (14) or Liverpool (13) are light years away.

There are even 15 players in this Champions League who have scored more goals than all of this Barcelona.

Among them, of course,

(eight) stands out.

But also

(seven), Ajax's Franco-Iran,

(five) with stormy Manchester United, or

himself

, who has already taken three goals in his three continental games played with PSG.

«There is a goal in the squad.

I have no doubts, "Xavi stirred on the eve of today's great duel.

Although he clarified: «But the second line has to help us.

Not only the pure strikers have to score ”.

And perhaps there is no other left in a team in which

, Barcelona's top scorer this season (seven), is the only reliable striker in full physical condition.

Ansu Fati, his immediate pursuer with four goals, is in the infirmary together with

(two) and

(one), pending the latter to make his future known due to his heart problems.

While

, the specialist theorist, seems to have exhausted his credit.

The effectiveness, an alibi used for weeks by the fired

, has not been the big problem for this Barcelona in the Champions League, but the scarce generation of chances.

In fact, Barcelona has barely shot on goal 39 times in the tournament (24th place in the ranking), below the other four Spanish teams in contention: Atlético (41), Sevilla (46), Villarreal (55) and Real Madrid (78).

Where Barça has stood out is in the centers to the area (86), being the fifth team in the competition that has resorted to it the most.

Although without footballers to finish them off.

The extremes

Xavi's solution has nothing to do with the bombing of the area without rhyme or reason, but with a greater production of the interiors. Although in order for them to find spaces to break through, the new Barça coach needs to have wingers that open up the field.

Hence, Xavi refused to rule out

for tonight's duel

, unable to untie himself from the stretcher and whom

already forced in Kiev before he fell again.

If he could not recover the Frenchman, with

his low back pain, and given the impossibility of summoning the homegrown players who exercised extreme in the derby -

drags a Youth League sanction and

is not registered in the Champions

, he would play re-experiment with

,

or

.

Yes again.

The present oppresses.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

• Xavi Hernandez

• Ansu Fati

• Ousmane Dembélé

• Sergiño Dest

• Ronald Koeman

• Real Madrid

• Cristiano Ronaldo

• Champions League

• FC Barcelona

ChampionsThe signing of Xavi, in the hands of Laporta

Champions LeagueAnsu Fati gives life to Barcelona

Champions Barcelona faces a vacuum in Europe: 20.2 million euros at stake

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