Is defeat ever not a failure?
Xavi's Barcelona were left feeling hard done by after defeat to Manchester United
“It’s not a failure because of the way we played,” said Jules Koundé as he trudged through media duties after Barcelona’s Europa League elimination at the hands of Manchester United. “I think the team deserved more,” added Xavi, echoing the sentiment. It’s hard to disagree.
There’s reason to believe that Barcelona will come back fighting. The performance itself was a team display. There was no surrender or collapse as previous European defeats have seen. This was no Rome or Anfield, and certainly no humiliation like that inflicted by Eintracht last season.
Xavi was also handling some debilitating restrictions. Gavi’s suspension. Pedri’s injury. Ousmane Dembélé’s absence. It would not have been his usual choice to select Sergi Roberto at Old Trafford.
This is a side with a defence with an average age of 23, with an ageing captain making his return after almost a month out, and without at least three undisputed starters.
Barcelona went to battle already limping and put up a fight. This was a matter of recognising that they were beaten by a better team on the night, rather than looking at their own mistakes.
Yet, there is also an element of doubt. Perhaps the best analysis of all comes from
's superb breakdown on below, highlighting the room for improvement across the board.“Just like Xavi, Barcelona are young and exciting. Just like Xavi, Barcelona are aggressive and intense. Just like Xavi, Barcelona want it all and they want it now. But also like Xavi, Barcelona are still inexperienced. Also like Xavi, Barcelona are often reckless and naive; they live and they die by their choices and decisions.”
As Barça were bullied physically and slow to react leading up to Antony’s goal, there was a sense that this side lacked that winning mentality that can only become instilled through victory. It will come with time.
Barcelona did not look likely to win this tie once Manchester United found their way back into it. Vince Lombardi, the American football icon, always said that he didn’t lose, he just ran out of time to win. That phrase could not have been applied to this meeting at Old Trafford.
Their only wins in Europe this season came against Viktoria Plzen, and they’ve now been eliminated from European competitions four times in 15 months. Xavi has won only four of 16 matches in continental tournaments.
Perhaps Culés have been spoilt. Not every coach can start an era with success across the board. Domestically, Barça look incredible. On the continent, they look weak. But that was the case in Spain not so long ago too. This is a journey and Barcelona must go one step at a time.
The real answer won’t come in Thursday night’s post mortem, nor in the Friday morning papers’ analysis of what went down. It will come 1,620 miles from Old Trafford 68 hours after the final whistle. It will come against Almería on Sunday. Some will argue that even then it won’t come until next Thursday night’s visit to the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.
“No man is defeated unless he is discouraged,” Bruce Lee once said. Barcelona show no signs of giving up on their goals this season. But the real indication of failure will be in how this young squad reacts. The proof will be in the pudding.