Everyone can see it happening little by little, but until now, no one has fully believed it. Xavi resurrected Barca, and Barca came back. After their 4-0 victory at the Bernabeu over Real Madrid, they will have other historic records, such as 6-2 in 2009 or 5-0 in 2010, but perhaps this is most similar to Barca's 2-1 victory at the Bernabeu in 2004.
Xavi scored a goal for Barca that night, and although Barca did not win the league title, he helped Valencia beat Real Madrid to win La Liga. More importantly for Barca, it ushered in a new era. After years of being tortured by their nemesis, Barca created a turning point that night. Great successes followed, but supporters understood its importance before the trophy came like a tidal wave.
Around 4,000 fans travelled to the airport to greet the team returning from Real Madrid, and they sensed that a profound change was coming. The victory has put league leaders to shame, but given their nine-point advantage over 2nd-placed Sevilla, the win is unlikely to dash their hopes of winning the title. Barca have lost their last five matchups, four la Liga and the Spanish Super Cup, their worst one since the 1960s.
The defeat in Saudi Arabia was a turning point, which was welcomed by team president Laporta, who warmly praised the team despite the loss. This is understandable, as progress is evident, although losing to the most unfriendly opponents is still frustrating. De Jong, who performed well at the Bernabeu on Sunday, pointed out that Barca should never be satisfied with losing a classic matchup.
This reflects not only his high standards, but also Harvey and his team's constant quest to improve and correct mistakes. It is worth noting that Xavi has injected life into Barca at such a fast pace. Previously, Barca scored just two goals in six champions league group stages before being relegated to the Europa League while also finishing 9th in the table.
Since Xavi returned to Barca, the team has made a lot of progress, especially with major wins against Atletico, Napoli and Valencia, and the team has improved in every game. Players are increasingly capable of following the system that Xavi has built, and Barca are no longer blocked. They wandered through the Bernabeu, from the powerful attacks of Dembele and Aubameyang to Torres' casual wandering of Real Madrid's backline, where Barca dominated. Veterans like Jody Alba, Busquets and Gerald Pique are good players from start to finish.
Xavi played a game that suited them, restored Pep Guardiola-style football, and suddenly, Barca's elders were rejuvenated. Even with the team in easy control of the game, Harvey screamed on the sidelines, demanding perfection. Real Madrid do not have Benzema, but even if he is in good health, the gap between the two sides is huge. Ancelotti switched to a diamond-shaped midfielder, which may overwhelm his players, but Xavi's Barca have the ability to beat anyone.
Xavi has dominated Real Madrid as a player and now he has done it again in the technical field. And that's just the beginning. However, the match is an opportunity for Barca to send a message to their opponents. Pique tweeted a few minutes after the game: "We're back. "Who can disagree?