Xavi's Barca reign faces Benfica test

BARCELONA • Xavi Hernandez's rescue mission encounters its first major test today as Barcelona face Benfica in a game that could decide who from Group E qualifies for the Champions League last 16.

Bayern Munich have already advanced to the next stage and with the Catalan giants travelling to Germany for their final group game, it is imperative they gain a result when the Portuguese side visit the Nou Camp. Benfica are just two points behind the hosts (six) and finish at home to Dynamo Kiev, who are bottom and yet to record a single victory.

Xavi won his first game in charge but the 1-0 La Liga win over local rivals Espanyol was nervy, showing how much work he needs to do at the struggling club. "We need to take more risks," he said afterwards.

The question now is how much can they risk against Benfica, when the pressure is greater and the margin for recovery so small?

For the best part of an hour, they were liberated against Espanyol. The chances were rolling in, the fans were bouncing again and the players were enjoying themselves.

But as it became clear Espanyol were putting up heavy resistance and the result would be in doubt until the end, all the newly-adopted principles that had previously been crisp and clear became blurred. Under pressure, Barca lost sight of Xavi's plan, reverting back to the safety-first approach under the fired Ronald Koeman.

That will not cut it against Benfica, third and just a point behind joint-leaders Porto and Sporting Lisbon (29) having netted 27 times in 11 games this season.

It means Xavi's second game will already be an early examination, not so much of his methods, which will need longer to be measured, but his team's conviction in carrying them out.

"After winning that first game we are calmer, a victory gives us peace of mind, boosts our morale," he said.

"But Tuesday is another battle and we cannot ignore our principles. It's another final for us."

Carles Puyol, his former Barca and Spain teammate, hopes Xavi will be given time by the Nou Camp faithful, with the team expected to hit more bumps in the road.

"I know Xavi very well and I know he has prepared himself very well. I am convinced that he will do very well," the ex-Barca captain said. "He has experienced moments as a player where we had difficult situations. Then we achieved great things with a great team.

"We had not won anything and then we won everything by playing very good football. So he knows exactly what to do, and you have to give him time and confidence."

The hosts have a raft of injury problems, with Pedri, Ansu Fati, Sergio Aguero, Martin Braithwaite, Sergino Dest and Ousmane Dembele all out, while Benfica missing Lucas Verissimo and Rodrigo Pinho.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

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