Barca dressing room had no rules when Xavi arrived

 

The Barcelona dressing room was devoid of rules  when Xavi returned as coach with the Nou Camp legend shocked at the lack of discipline within the squad he inherited.

The former Barca midfielder turned their fortunes around and they claimed their first La Liga title since 2019 with a 4-2 win over local rivals Espanyol on Sunday night.

Xavi, 43, was appointed manager in November 2021 and asked former team-mate and close friend Sergio Busquets for an assessment of the dressing room rules already in place.

When the former Spain international played in successful Barcelona teams, a code of strict rules dictated how players behaved.

But, according to Athleticism, Busquets told him there were no rules. They had slowly eroded during Xavi’s six-year absence.

Xavi wasted no time in restoring discipline at Barcelona and reaping the rewards

Stunned by the lack of order, Xavi has reinstated late player fines and these are increasing in severity for repeat offenders.

The coach also demanded that all players arrive at the training ground 90 minutes before the start of the session so that they can all eat together.

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Xavi believed that if the team had breakfast and lunch together at the club, the nutritionists could better control their diet.

The increased discipline behind the scenes has paid off, with Barca dominating the league title battle with Real Madrid this season.

They are 14 points clear of their arch-rivals with four games of the season still to play.

Sunday night’s win over Espanyol secured the club’s 27th league title, with Robert Lewandowski scoring twice and Alejandro Balde and Jules Kounde also on target.