Barcelona’s turbulent week ends in more high drama, two red cards — and no goals

Xavi took a breath when asked whether he thought all the noise and drama during the last week — players leaving, transfer rumours, problems registering signings and financial levers being triggered — had affected his team’s performance in Sunday evening’s chaotic 0-0 draw at Getafe.

“No, not at all,” Barcelona’s coach replied to the question from The Athletic. “We were not good in the first half, we did not play the game we wanted. In the second half, yes, we played well. We were the Barca we want, with ambition, going for the game. We had few clear chances, but enough for the win.”

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It was the calmest answer Xavi gave during a press conference in which he had plenty to say about other reasons why they had not got three points from their first La Liga fixture of 2023-24.

He said that the game had been a “total disgrace” and “not the spectacle that we want in La Liga” after there were 27 minutes added across the two halves. He also claimed that a handball by Gavi that meant a late Barcelona penalty claim was turned down had been somehow “invented”.

It was true that the game was not one for the purists. A scrappy Getafe side did all they could to stop Barca playing with any rhythm, ending the game with eight players booked and just 25 per cent possession. Referee Cesar Soto Grado sent off a player from each side — and Xavi saw red himself, too.

It was also true that Barca had not played well, especially in the first half as Xavi said, either before or after Raphinha’s straight red card left them a man down.

But also after the break they never really took control of the game, even after Getafe’s Javi Mata picked up a second yellow with 33 minutes of normal time still remaining.

And maybe the most remarkable thing about