Barcelona have won the xG battle in every game under Xavi

It has been just a little over a month since Xavi Hernandez made his managerial debut for Barcelona in the Catalan derby against Espanyol.

The 41-year-old, after tasting resounding success in his first job at Al Sadd, has had to come to grips with the enormous challenge at hand at Camp Nou. And while the results might not have entirely gone the way he or the fans would have liked, there have certainly been improvements in some aspects.

The attacking unit had looked quite toothless and lacked ideas towards the end of Ronald Koeman’s spell. However, things have picked up under the new management, to some extent at least, with Barcelona creating more chances and there being more clarity and structure to their attacks.

Goals remain an issue, but that has got a lot to do with the lack of a proper finisher in the ranks, as time and again, the Catalans have failed to convert good quality chances, which have ended up hurting them.

Since taking over, Xavi has managed six La Liga games, winning three of those, while losing one (D2). In these games, the Blaugrana have scored ten goals, netting more than once in three matches (vs Villarreal, Osasuna and Elche).

A look at the ‘xG’ parameter for each of the league games that Barcelona have played under Xavi indicates that the Catalans should have come out on top based on the quality of the chances they created.

Expected Goals (xG) created by Barcelona in La Liga since Xavi's appointment:

– 2.38 v Sevilla
– 2.86 v Elche
– 1.49 v Osasuna
– 1.35 v Real Betis
– 3.30 v Villarreal
– 1.52 v Espanyol

Barça won the xG battle every time.

— @InfogolApp pic.twitter.com/Y9n5Zi1SVi

— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) December 22, 2021

Indeed, Barça outperformed each of their previous six opponents in La Liga based on ‘xG’. However, that has not translated into actual victories for the Catalans.

Putting away the chances that are being created is something that Xavi & co. will need to work upon if they are to turn things around in the second half of the campaign.