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Xavi Should Be Given Time to Succeed as Barcelona’s Coach, Says Puyol

Xavi was named head coach after the club sacked Ronald Koeman earlier this month. (Reuters)
Xavi was named head coach after the club sacked Ronald Koeman earlier this month. (Reuters)
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Xavi Should Be Given Time to Succeed as Barcelona’s Coach, Says Puyol

Xavi was named head coach after the club sacked Ronald Koeman earlier this month. (Reuters)
Xavi was named head coach after the club sacked Ronald Koeman earlier this month. (Reuters)

Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez should be given "time and confidence" to succeed at the Catalan club, former captain Carles Puyol said after his ex-team mate began life in his new role with a 1-0 home win over local rivals Espanyol.

Xavi, who played for Barcelona for 17 years and won 25 trophies, was named head coach after the club sacked Ronald Koeman earlier this month.

Given a contract until 2024, the 41-year-old made a winning start on Saturday with a victory over Espanyol that put Barcelona sixth in LaLiga on 20 points after 13 matches.

"I know Xavi very well and I know he has prepared himself very well. I am convinced that he will do very well," Puyol 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."

Barcelona host Benfica in Tuesday's Champions League group match before playing at Villarreal for Saturday's league game.

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‘Unbelievable’ Odegaard Transforms Arsenal and Gets Saka Smiling Again

Soccer Football - Champions League - Sporting CP v Arsenal - Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal - November 26, 2024 Arsenal's Martin Odegaard Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
Soccer Football - Champions League - Sporting CP v Arsenal - Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal - November 26, 2024 Arsenal's Martin Odegaard Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
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‘Unbelievable’ Odegaard Transforms Arsenal and Gets Saka Smiling Again

Soccer Football - Champions League - Sporting CP v Arsenal - Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal - November 26, 2024 Arsenal's Martin Odegaard Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
Soccer Football - Champions League - Sporting CP v Arsenal - Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal - November 26, 2024 Arsenal's Martin Odegaard Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

The goals are flying in again for Arsenal — and it just happens to coincide with the return from injury of Martin Odegaard.

Make that eight goals in two games since the international break for Arsenal after its 5-1 hammering of Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League on Tuesday, tying the English team’s heaviest ever away win in the competition.

Odegaard is back in Arsenal’s team after missing two months with an ankle injury. In that time, Mikel Arteta’s attack stuttered, with a 2-0 loss to Bournemouth and a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle dropping the Gunners well off the pace in the Premier League. There was also a 0-0 draw at Atalanta in the Champions League as well as a 1-0 loss to Inter Milan last month, when Odegaard made his comeback from injury as an 89th-minute substitute.

Since then, Arsenal hasn’t lost and the goals have returned. After a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday came the cruise in Lisbon — and Odegaard was at the heart of everything as Sporting’s unbeaten start to the season came to an end.

“He’s an unbelievable player,” Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka said of Odegaard. “The day he returned, there was a big smile on my face. You can see the chemistry we have. I hope he stays fit for the rest of the season.”

Odegaard was involved in the build-up to Arsenal’s first two goals against Sporting — scored by Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz — and was fouled to win the penalty converted by Saka in the 65th to restore Arsenal’s three-goal lead at 4-1.

Odegaard was seen flexing his leg after that but continued untroubled and was substituted in the 78th minute.

The last thing Arteta would want now is another injury to Odegaard as Arsenal attempts to reel in first-place Liverpool in the Premier League. Liverpool is already nine points ahead of fourth-place Arsenal after 12 games.