Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernández has this evening provided an insight into the thought process behind his decision to hook João Félix from proceedings during his side’s meeting with Unionistas.
Barca, of course, marked their return to action a short time ago.
Fresh off being put to the sword in concerning fashion by arch rivals Real Madrid last weekend, Xavi and co. made the trip to minnows Unionistas, desperate for a return to winning ways.
And, when all was said and done, emerge triumphant is precisely what the Blaugrana managed.
After falling behind in shock fashion early on, the evening’s visitors dusted themselves down, thanking goals on the part of all of Ferran Torres, Jules Koundé, and Alejandro Balde for an eventual 3-1 win.
Speaking to the media on the back of his side booking their spot in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey, Xavi, in turn, was drawn on a whole host of noteworthy topics.
One such subject came in the form of his decision to haul off the aforementioned João Félix with just an hour on the clock, and Barca searching for a go-ahead goal.
Frontman Félix laid on Torres’ opener tonight, and was no doubt desperate for more amid what has proven a disappointing stretch of recent form.
Xavi, though, was adamant that the change came for tactical reasons, with Barca’s headmaster having been keen to introduce more creativity from deep:
“I took off Joao Felix to put in Pedri and Gundogan, two pure midfielders,” he began. “We wanted them to play passes in behind through the middle.”
Conor Laird | GSFN
