Xavi Hernández marked a milestone with his 100th match in charge of FC Barcelona, a game that showcased the highs and lows of his tenure. The Catalan side still managed to secure a vital three points in Porto, thanks to a Ferran Torres finish and a series of key saves by Ter Stegen that underscored the moment’s significance.
Exactly two years after stepping into the Barcelona dugout, Xavi’s journey began on November 20, 2021, in a Catalan derby against Espanyol. The match concluded in a narrow win for Barça, signaling the ambitious road ahead as the club looked to reset after a challenging stretch in La Liga, where they sat ninth after thirteen rounds. Since that debut, the team has built a narrative of revival, competing at the highest level while juggling pressure and expectation.
Xavi’s numbers after his first 100 games for Barcelona: wins, draws, losses, titles and top scorer
In those first 100 games, Barcelona accumulated 63 victories, 18 draws, and 19 losses. The goal difference stood at 191 for and 95 against, painting a picture of a side that often found its footing offensively while tightening the back line in key moments. From a silverware perspective, the team lifted the Spanish Super Cup and the domestic league title in the 2022-2023 season, signaling a renaissance under Xavi’s leadership.
The buy of the campaign, the striker Robert Lewandowski, proved pivotal in delivering results over the stretch. The Polish forward contributed 39 goals across Xavi’s tenure to become the club’s leading scorer in his early era, with Ferran Torres close behind on 18 and Pedri and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang sharing 13 each. Meanwhile, Karim Benzema stood out as a benchmark for opposing defenses, netting six goals against Barcelona during this period.
Real Madrid has represented the fiercest opponents in this early chapter, with seven encounters resulting in four Barcelona wins and three losses. Betis follows as the second most frequent rival in this head-to-head context, also marking the team against whom Xavi’s charges have found the back of the net most often, tallying 15 goals in their meetings to date.
These metrics offer a snapshot of a manager steering a club through a transitional phase, balancing a rebuilding project with the weight of expectations that come with a storied footballing tradition. The milestone game in Porto served as a reminder that Xavi’s Barcelona remains a work in progress, capable of brilliance in moments, yet continually tested by the demands of elite European competition. The broader narrative centers on how the squad translates potential into consistency across competitions and seasons, a challenge that underlines every tactical decision and every lineup choice.
Source: Goal [Goal]