How Barcelona won La Liga: Old-school rules, new hunger and a changing of the guard – The Athletic

When Xavi was made Barcelona manager in November 2021, he found a squad that was lacking in confidence.

Barca had not won the league title in two and half years, and there were few signs they would be truly ready to challenge for one again soon.

Tough losses in the Champions League had left their mark on a group whose ambition was to compete among the European elite. There was still a sense of trauma around the comeback defeats suffered against Roma and Liverpool, in 2018 and 2019.

The 8-2 hammering by Bayern Munich in 2020, especially, was still living in the minds of established squad members whod experienced it all.

This made for an uncomfortable environment for the teams emerging players to develop and grow. It also meant there was a lack of discipline and focus, and intensity in training had dropped as a result.

When Xavi came in, he asked his former team-mate and great friend Sergio Busquets to give him a breakdown of the dressing room rules that were already in place. When theyd played together, Barcelona had multiple rules that defined the teams daily life. These included fines for being late, with times clearly set on when players were expected to show up for training.

They had all disappeared. The dressing room, six years on from Xavis departure as a Barca player in 2015, had no rules. He was shocked by this and wasted no time in re-establishing order.

Fines for being late were reinstated and would increase in severity for multiple offences. Xavi also demanded all his players arrive at training 90 minutes before the session started, so they could all eat and prepare together. He wanted players to have breakfast and lunch at the club, so the teams staff could have better control of diets.

The manager was far from alone in recognising things needed to change. While rivals Real Madrid completed a La Liga and Champions League double last season, Barcas final six games included dispiriting home defeats by Rayo Vallecano and Villarreal. Across the clubs leadership, there was widespread conviction that the team needed refreshing and reviving.

Progress towards this success hasnt been entirely seamless or without risk. As we will see, plenty of uncertainty and challenges lie ahead.

But now Barca have been crowned La Liga champions for the first time since 2018-19, and Xavi and his new-look side are celebrating.

Here, The Athletics Pol Balls, Laia Cervell Herrero and Dermot Corrigan examine the story of their title win in-depth and divided into three parts, starting with a look inside the dressing room.

Because if anything has marked the transformation between the Barca of recent years and this title-winning version, it has been a changing of the guard

Barcelonas leaders have sought to make way for new wisdom, leaving the past behind. The idea has been to let some younger players grow in importance while convincing other more senior professionals to take a step back.

The process began in pre-season when Xavi spoke to Gerard Pique, warning him that he wasnt going to play as much this year.

Pique thought he could convince Xavi otherwise and earn a place in the team, so he told him he was going to fight to earn a spot in the starting line-up. But the centre-back also said that when he himself felt he had no more to contribute at the elite level, he would leave.

Thats exactly what happened two weeks after a defensive blunder in Octobers key Champions League home match against Inter Milan. It had provided Pique with a reality check, and the defender announced his retirement from football in an emotional farewell at the Camp Nou on November 5.

His departure made room for a new vice-captain in the clubs official list of the three players below skipper Busquets. Joining Jordi Alba and Sergi Roberto would be Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

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Having been at the club since 2014, Ter Stegens voice has been respected in the dressing room for a while, but his performances last year were not good enough. He knew that, but Xavis confidence in his No 1 never faded despite rumours and reports linking him with a move away.

The 31-year-old has been pleased by the approach the manager has taken with his leadership of the group. Having been at Barca for nearly a decade, Ter Stegen perhaps understands better than most just how far the club had drifted from its old standards.

Ter Stegens happiness and belief in the cause have been reflected on the pitch in what has been a remarkable campaign for him. Now he is one of the few squad members who feels completely comfortable in a public leadership role. Assuming that authority has also raised his own performances.

The German, who has been at the club since 2014, will be the subject of another article The Athletic will publish in this week following Barcas title success, where his spectacular contribution on the pitch this season will be examined in depth. With him in goal, Barcelona have conceded just 13 goals from 34 games in La Liga this season an average of 0.38 goals per match. He has kept 25 clean sheets the competition record for a single season is 26.

Ter Stegen has without doubt advanced to a new level under Xavi, but perhaps the most significant figure in achieving this important shift from the past, at least through the summer and first half of the season, was Robert Lewandowski.

The Poland internationals signing alone meant there was a feeling that a new era was beginning; a new symbol of quality and professionalism had arrived.

That initial inkling soon proved to be correct. Over the first half of this campaign, the striker single-handedly solved difficult games and it was surprising how little time he needed to adapt to life in Spain. He scored 13 goals in his first 12 La Liga games, the most of any new signing in the clubs history.

Some saw him as the perfect figure to help this Barca team transition into their new epoch. Others say that Lewandowski is doing the job Lionel Messi could have ended up performing had he stayed in 2021. Xavi actually compared his striker to Messi and Ronaldinho when describing how the player had lifted the squad.

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In the seasons earlier matches, it was common to see Lewandowski communicating with his team-mates on the pitch, giving encouragement and instruction. He was especially attentive with Gavi and Pedri, 16 and 14 years younger than him respectively. Off the pitch, he was even giving Gavi dietary advice and insisting that learning English would be beneficial for his career.

In February, when Lewandowski returned from suspension to score in a 2-1 victory over Real Betis, many of his team-mates embraced him in a hug. That was his 14th goal in 16 league starts, making him the competitions top scorer by three goals.

He is still La Ligas top scorer, but in the 13 matches following that Betis match he only scored six times, missing many good chances. As the goals began to dry up, his role as an on-field leader seemed to diminish.

Lewandowski is very competitive and driven, but a negative side of that showed during his tough spell in late winter and early spring, with his reaction not helping the overall chemistry of the dressing room.

Three weeks after the Betis game, Barca lost at Old Trafford against Manchester United and were eliminated from the Europa League. One moment in that match saw Ansu Fati take a shot instead of letting Lewandowski take aim (when it looked like the striker was better placed) and Fati missed. This wasnt the first time it had happened, and in the dressing room, Lewandowski ended up letting the young winger know of his frustration.

Barcas group dynamic has faced many other problems, too. Earlier in the season, Frenkie de Jong and Ousmane Dembele were angered by attempts to force them out of the club. Busquets and fellow veterans Pique and Alba were also upset when executives pressured them to reduce their salaries.

Franck Kessie has let it be known that he has been unhappy with the number of minutes played. Alba has clashed with Xavi as his role has been reduced this season following the emergence of 19-year-old Alejandro Balde.

And now, even with the title sealed, Barcelona are braced for further challenges.

Busquets is leaving, a truly pivotal figure who has spent 15 years with the first team. Lewandowski, who turns 35 in August, is the second-oldest in the squad by a month, after the departing Busquets. He will now become the clubs most senior player, and Barca are considering making him one of the teams captains although some dressing room members wonder whether he is the best candidate.

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The future of Alba, the clubs first vice-captain, is up for discussion too. Last week, the 34-year-old held talks with Barcas sporting directors and the club are open to the idea of reaching a mutual agreement for him to leave this summer.

But even though there are problems to be solved, Barca under Xavi are in a stronger position to deal with them thanks to the progress made this season.

There is plenty of promise and quality coming from the teams youthful players: Pedri continues to develop, Gavi has been key, Balde has emerged as first-choice on the left and Ronald Araujo, at 24, looks every inch the future leader The Athletic will publish an in-depth article on him this coming week, too.

And of the other faces that arrived last summer, Andreas Christensen has established himself as a key figure on the pitch, widely respected among his peers for the quality and solidity he brings to the teams back line. Despite this, he is another quiet presence in a dressing room that has few vocal characters.

Things are far from perfect. Just as the club will aim to refine the squad this summer, it is hoped that further improvement in the teams group dynamic can be achieved. The celebrations this week are sure to have a positive influence on that.

But over the course of this 2022-23 season, new leaders have emerged through a process shaped in no small part by a number of key arrivals and departures.

When Lamine Yamal made his debut for the first team aged 15, in April, Xavi described him as a player who can define an era at the club.

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Time will tell but, putting yourself in Yamals shoes, the Barca dressing room of today certainly feels like a more positive place to emerge with the kind of talent he has compared with two years ago.

Theres also the fact that Xavi seems to have found a way of getting the best out of his players tactically.

This Barcelona side did not need to be brilliant for significant parts of the season to win the league. Instead, they got there because they were starving for success.

Despite claiming top spot, there are still concerns over the squads depth of talent. Theres an agreement now among the backroom staff that more will need to be done in that regard especially in attack and soon.

But no one can deny that the groups collective effort this season has compensated for any lack of spark up front.

Leaving aside Barcas joint-record 11 (eleven) La Liga 1-0 wins and any debate on how entertaining Barca have been over this campaign, theres one clear fact: they have recovered one of the most basic principles of their DNA the urgent need to regain possession as soon as they lose the ball.

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The pressing system that has decided crucial wins has been a key part of the La Liga triumph and is something Xavi deserves praise for. When Pedri or Gavi couldnt find a telling pass or Lewandowski or Dembele couldnt break the deadlock, Barcas ability to win the ball back high up the pitch did the job.

No La Liga side has completed more high turnovers (possession won 40m from the opponents goal) than Barcelona, while their season average for passes per defensive action (PPDA) is the second-highest, behind Real Sociedad. PPDA helps to indicate how intense a teams press is by taking an average of how many passes opponents make before the defending team makes a tackle, interception, challenge, failed tackle or foul.

This has been the biggest constant in Xavis playbook. But in other aspects of his tactical approach, the manager has had to evolve.

After taking the reins back in 2021, he seemed committed to one thing above all: he wanted to provide width with two wingers.

Thats the main reason why, during his first transfer window at the club in January 2022, he pushed hard for the additions of Adama Traore and Ferran Torres. Its also why, last summer, even after convincing Dembele to agree to a new contract, the club signed Raphinha from Leeds.

Xavis plan at the start of the campaign was set: a perfect target man (Lewandowski) flanked by two silky wide players.

But not even two months into the season, it was clear this wasnt working as hoped. Two Champions League meetings with Inter Milan in October showed him exactly why change was needed as Dembele and Raphinha both endured torrid nights. The 3-3 draw at home to the Italians meant Barca were effectively eliminated from the competitions group stage on October 10 (again).

The following Sunday, the two players started again, swapping wings but disappointing once more as Real Madrid won the seasons first Clasico 3-1, in what was Barcas first league defeat of the season.

Raphinha did not start another game before the World Cup. Torres and Fati gained more minutes, but the effect wasnt much different. Then the mid-season break came; it was time to think.

During this period, a debate had been brewing among Barca observers. Who would have expected Xavi, a player who was arguably the most perfect representation of Barcelonas football, to prioritise his attacking trio rather than trusting in his midfield?

To many, it felt like Xavis Barca had closer links to how Luis Enriques team steamrollered opponents with Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez up front, rather than the symphonic style under Pep Guardiola, when Xavi himself was the chief orchestrator.

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At the same time, playing with two wingers on either side of Lewandowski meant being forced to leave out one of Pedri, Gavi, Busquets or De Jong.

So, Xavi decided to change strategy and to play them all.

The first test of this four-midfielder system came on October 23, when Barca beat Athletic Bilbao 4-0. But with the idea refined, it became a permanent part of the teams picture when La Liga resumed after Qatar 2022.

Januarys 3-1 victory over Real Madrid in the final of the Supercopa felt like the ultimate vindication and provided evidence that, yes, Barcelona could dominate their big rivals through possession. It was a statement of what Xavis team could do but their problem was maintaining it.

The team has rarely clicked so effectively since, and Madrids 4-0 victory at Camp Nou in their Copa del Rey semi-final second leg proved Barca to be far from truly dominant domestically.

That is why, when you speak to sources close to the Barca coaching staff now who, like others in this story, spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect either their positions or relationships they see their rebuilding job as only 50 per cent complete. Last summer was half the revolution; the other half is to come this year.

A replacement for Busquets and a new partner for Pedri are the main priorities. A right-back would be appreciated too, with Jules Kounde having to operate the role despite it not being his natural, preferred position.

And yet, there are multiple reasons to be cheerful about Xavis shift towards four midfielders, and what it means for the future.

Firstly, it provides the perfect position for De Jong. The 26-year-old spent his first three seasons at Barcelona trying to find his place, not quite fitting as a sole holding midfielder nor as an attacking No 10. This year, Xavi paired him with Busquets in a double pivot and it worked. De Jong was able to drop deep to receive the ball to then start his runs, cutting the opposition lines, and at the same time he was covered by his captain. De Jongs success in this role now informs how the team decides to replace Busquets.

Then there is the explosion of Balde, another star of Barcas season. The club has found a left-back who, at the age of 19, can cope with the pressure of being a starter at the Camp Nou. With four true midfielders in the starting XI, Xavi grants Balde the whole left channel to run while Gavi cuts inside.

Gavi has been the designated man for Xavi to operate as a false winger or the extra midfielder in the system. Apart from creating space for Balde to attack, his role also gets the best out of his dynamism, intensity and reading of the game, with the licence to press when required.

And Gavis position means Pedri can be at the centre of everything. This season has shown just how vital the 20-year-old is. Barca felt his absence keenly when he was injured between February and April.

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Lastly, it leaves Barca more balanced at the back. With no natural right-back, Kounde has stepped in. The Frenchman cant shine as a relentless overlapper, but the four-midfielder system with Balde pushing up sees the teams shape evolve from a 4-3-3 to a 3-2-2-3 (see graphic above), with Kounde becoming one of the three centre-backs. Its a position where is at his best.

After 18 months at the helm, along with many bumps in the road, one Super Cup and now with a first La Liga title, Xavi has found the course he wants his club to follow. But he knows the real job is not yet done.

Surely this summer cant be anywhere near as dramatic as the last?

Last summer, Barca president Joan Laporta and his closest advisors knew that something big and dramatic was needed to shock the club (and team) back to life.

There was a problem though. Barcas finances showed losses of 161million (140.4m; $174.7m) over the previous 12 months, adding to the already desperate situation Laporta inherited in early 2021 from previous president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

So they came up with a plan.

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Financial levers was the term given to the series of asset sales that would, it was hoped, set off a virtuous circle of higher revenues, more new signings, more trophies to celebrate, and more income to pay off the debts, as Barcelona borrowed from their long-term future to strengthen their here and now.

In June and July, the club sold two different sets of future TV rights to US financiers Sixth Street, and a share of the clubs Barca Studios arm to crypto firm Socios.com, raising 767m in total.

This allowed for 10 new players to be added, including headline signings Lewandowski, Raphinha and Kounde. Despite the clubs deep financial issues, its wage bill rose by 27 per cent for 2022-23 to 656m.

Laporta and his board felt such a short-term boost was necessary, and the drama continued as Lewandowski and Raphinha could only be registered with La Liga after another 100million was secured via a fourth lever (palanca in Spanish) just 24 hours before the season began. Kounde was registered even later, with La Liga already started.

The Camp Nou was packed on opening day, although the new-look team stumbled to a 0-0 draw at home to (bogey club) Rayo.

But Laportas lever-pulling had succeeded in enthusing the Barca fanbase. The Camp Nou had been a very downbeat place during 2021-22, with an average attendance of just 55,026 although restrictions on capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic played a small part.

There were 81,104 fans at the stadium for the Rayo game, and that figure kept rising to 92,605 for the visit of Almeria just before Novembers break for the World Cup. Blaugrana socios were using their season tickets again, while fans from outside Catalonia were drawn to see Lewandowski and company in action. This brought in much-needed matchday and merchandising income.

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How Barcelona won La Liga: Old-school rules, new hunger and a changing of the guard - The Athletic