Imperial Ronald Araujo and a goalscoring Pedri take Barca ever closer
Blow by blow, Barça are cruising towards the league title. Sunday's win at Villarreal puts them 11 points ahead of Madrid. And although Los Blancos have a game in hand, the gap is psychologically decisive. Xavi's team is giving off the sensations of champions on the pitch and in the standings. Without falling into premeditated euphoria, everything indicates that Barça are closer to their resurrection. At La Ceramica they once again demonstrated the effectiveness on which their solid lead is built. That makes six consecutive wins and 34 points from a possible 36 since the defeat (the only one of the season) at the Bernabeu. An almost perfect performance that was corroborated with the win against Quique Setien's side.
With Araujo imperial and Pedri in goal-scoring form, Barça maintained their unstoppable run of success. Xavi's team now plays off by heart and against Villarreal they proved it again. A great game from the Blaugrana, who continue to grow day by day. A Barça that the coach has built on the defensive security (only seven goals conceded in 21 games) provided by the central defenders and the efficiency of Ter Stegen, who had a very quiet night yesterday. Villarreal hardly troubled Barca at the back despite trying to impose their personality on the game. It was not enough to break down the insurmountable wall that Barça have become, and they are on their way to that longed-for league title.
THE ANSU SITUATION
Xavi was very angry when he was asked about the future of Ansu Fati in the press conference before the match against Villarreal. The coach reproached journalists for questioning him about a hypothetical transfer when the winter transfer window has been shut for days. "He is non-transferable, I don't understand why we are talking about these things now, especially in the Barcelona media,” said the Blaugrana coach. For Xavi, Ansu "is a fundamental player for us, I have extraordinary confidence in him and tremendous hope. He is a player of the present and for the future.”
The coach's praise contrasts with the reality of the youth player: he is a regular substitute who demands more prominence. This Sunday he didn't play a single minute. Moreover, those putting Ansu on the market are not the media, but the player's agent and the club itself. And Xavi knows it. Or he should know it...
