Offensive drought at FC Barcelona worries the Spanish press who expect a miracle against Bayern Munich

FC Barcelona looks into the abyss in Europe … Without hitting it, the Barça team did not go beyond the goalless draw against Benfica on Tuesday in the Champions League and will play their pass to the last 16 against the powerful Bayern Munich.

“On the Edge of the KO”, “Play miracle in Munich”, “With everything to Munich”, The Spanish press is unanimous this Wednesday in highlighting the difficult position of the Barça team, although it still has its destiny in its hands.

Second place in group E with seven points to eight behind the leader Bayern and only two of advantage over Benfica, third of the key, andhe Barça team must win in Munich not to have an eye on the result of the Portuguese team.

In the event of a draw or defeat, Barça will have to look at what Benfica does against the already eliminated Dinamo Kiev, who will not play anything on the last day. Even a defeat in Munich could be worth it as long as the Portuguese lose.

“I think we can compete against anyone. Given what I have seen today, I think we can go to Munich to win. Playing this way we will have chances of winning and passing”, Said the Barça coach after the meeting, Xavi Hernandez.

New illusion

The arrival of the former Barça midfielder to the bench has given Barça a new look, which is seen to be more organized and intense on the pitch.

“Everyone sees the enthusiasm with which Xavi makes us play; we are all plugged in, we have an idea of ​​how to play ”, assured the Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen after the game.

“We did a great job and a great effort, but unfortunately we could not score,” added the German goal, pointing to the main lack of this Barcelona.

“Xavi’s Barça only needs the goal,” the honorary president of the newspaper AS headlined his column this Wednesday, Alfredo Relaño.

“Everything went perfect … except the shot on goal”, Lamented, for his part, the director of the newspaper Sport, Lluís Mascaró.

Barça fired up to 14 times, only three of them between the three sticks, including a shot at the crosshead of Yusuf Demir.

In the two games that Xavi has been on the bench, he has only scored one goal on Saturday against Espanyol in LaLiga on penalties.

The Barça has only scored two goals this season in his five Champions League games, while in LaLiga he has accumulated 20 goals in 13 games, occupying the 7th position in the standings.

All the teams ahead of him in the domestic championship have scored more goals than Xavi’s team.

In the good way

“Up we need to have a little more efficiency, but we are going to achieve it,” said the central defender on Tuesday after the game. Gerard Piqué.

The outputs of Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann, added to the previous one of Luis Suarez, they have dried much the gunpowder of the Barça.

The Barça team tried to cover the gap somewhat with the arrival of Memphis Depay, but the Dutchman, despite being Barça’s top scorer with seven goals, did not appear against Benfica.

The injuries of ‘Kun’ Agüero and Martin Braithwaite, coupled with the irregular benefits of the Dutch Luke de Jong, do not help improve confidence in the Barça forward before the big test in Munich on December 8.

For Xavi, it is a “time theme”To get the goals to arrive, while, before looking at the January market, he prefers “Try to regain the confidence of the players who can score goals first”.

“We have two more weeks left and we are on the right track,” said Xavi, whose team is at risk of being left out of the Champions League knockout phase for the first time since the 2000/2001 season. (D)