Barcelona coach Xavi was left seething after his side missed a "golden opportunity" to move clear in second place in LaLiga.
Having been eliminated from the Europa League on home soil by Eintracht Frankfurt last Thursday, Barca lost consecutive games at Camp Nou for the first time since April 2003 as lowly Cadiz condemned them to a 1-0 defeat.
Lucas Perez's second-half winner marked the 32nd goal Barca have conceded in 31 league games this season, their worst tally at this stage of a season since the 2012-13 campaign (33).
Barca's 15-match unbeaten run in the league had seen them harbour hopes of a title challenge, but they now have just seven games left to catch Real Madrid, who are 15 points clear.
Indeed, Barca's main focus will now realistically be on the teams below them. Atletico Madrid and Sevilla sit on 60 points, like the Blaugrana, but Real Betis (57) and Real Sociedad (55) are not far behind.
"We're p***** off," Xavi told reporters. "We have lost a golden opportunity to distance ourselves from the fight for the Champions League and to continue in the fight for the title. We have almost said goodbye to LaLiga.
"We are Barca and we must do more. The team should have shown more desire and enthusiasm. It's not about attitude because the players want it, but we need a competitive character.
"They [Cadiz] defended the play as if it were the last, and we have to match that.
"We have to be humble and think that we haven't done anything. To be in the Champions League next year, we have to play with more faith, determination and drive. We have to grit our teeth because we've got a lot at stake."
Despite overseeing a dramatic upturn in fortunes since taking charge, Xavi said the defeat showed there was much work required for Barca to return to the level of his playing days.
"When you win 4-0 at the Bernabeu it's logical that you say 'we're back', but now we're also making mistakes," he added.
"We must be self-critical, and we must react to ensure the goal of Champions League [qualification].
"We have to work for the great Barca to come back. We beat Madrid and Sevilla with two great games with the same team and the same staff. If we've done it [before], we can do it again."
The game was played in a muted atmosphere after a prominent group of Blaugrana fans boycotted in protest at the club's handling of last week's loss to Frankfurt, where an estimated 30,000 away fans got tickets to the match.
"We need the people," Xavi said. "The other day it affected us a lot, the fans have been extraordinary.
"Hopefully the next game they will be with us. Barcelona must be united and at least go to the Champions League next year. It's a shame they didn't come. We need everyone. It's important that in the next game at home the three points stay here."
Miedema and Shaw: Have Man City built an unstoppable partnership?
Manchester City go into the new Women’s Super League season having made what could be the acquisition of the summer, and they haven’t even had to spend a penny to get their player.
Vivianne Miedema appeared 172 times in all competitions for Arsenal, netting a staggering 125 goals and providing 50 assists.
The Netherlands international set the WSL alight in her seven years with the Gunners and holds the all-time record for the most goals in the competition, with 80.
Since joining from Bayern Munich in 2017 there has been no stopping her and, as she begins her new chapter with City, she will have the opportunity to form what could be one of the greatest partnerships the WSL has witnessed.
The Citizens thought last season might have been their year to finally clinch their first WSL title since 2016, only to lose it on the final day on goal difference as Chelsea provided Emma Hayes with a triumphant send-off.
Gareth Taylor has a potentially devastating attacking lineup on his hands as City look to go one better in 2024-25.
With record breakers Khadija “Bunny” Shaw and Miedema paired together, he may have found the piece of the puzzle they have been missing.
A record-breaking rise
Shaw has also been a WSL revelation since joining Man City in 2021, surpassing all expectations with her meteoric rise to becoming the club’s all-time leading scorer with 72 goals.
Shaw has scored a remarkable 50 goals in just 57 WSL appearances, netting once every 81 minutes on average. The Jamaica star is a ruthless finisher, outperforming her expected goals (xG) figures by almost 15 goals during her time in the WSL while already tallying 242 shots (4.2 per match), 104 on target (1.8 per game).
Shaw’s 20.66% shot conversion rate is better than Bethany England (19.79%) and some way clear of Miedema (17.7%), although Chelsea star Sam Kerr (21.48%) boasts a better rate.
She has put away 32 of the 63 big chances that have fallen her way, so her goal tally could arguably have been even more impressive.
Clinching the Golden Boot last season, she scored 21 goals in just 18 WSL appearances. Consequently, the Jamaica international was named PFA Player of the Year and Football Writers' Player of the Year for 2024-25.
But the personal accolades will only mean so much if City cannot deliver that long-awaited league title.
Shaw outperformed her figure of 12.3 xG by 8.7 last season – she had the second-highest xG in the WSL, behind only Alessia Russo (12.4). The City attacker also had the second-most shots (78), again only trailing Russo (79), but she led the league for shots on target (37).
Shaw led the WSL for big chances, with 25, putting away 11, while only Lauren Hemp and Caitlin Foord had more touches in the opposition box (159 and 160 respectively compared to Shaw’s 153).
Most impressively of all, Shaw averaged a goal every 66 minutes in the WSL, and if she can hit it off with Miedema in the coming months, opposing defences will have every reason to fear City.
Simply the best
Miedema endured a season of rehabilitation in 2023-24 after sustaining a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury, which caused her to miss the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
She is one of several huge names in the women's game to be struck by what can only be described as an epidemic of ACL injuries at the top level.
While we do not have many numbers to look at from last year, the figures that Miedema put up en route to becoming the WSL's greatest-ever striker tell their own story.
The Netherlands international has scored 80 goals in 106 games in the competition, massively outperforming her 59.63 xG and scoring every 102 minutes on average.
Since Opta began collecting such data, she has had the most shots on record in the WSL with 452, and 198 of those have hit the target, which is another WSL record.
We know how deadly she can be, and only three players – England, Ellen White and Nikita Parris – have had more big chances fall their way in the WSL than Miedema (80), though only England (48) has converted more than the former Arsenal forward (44).
When breaking down how Miedema reached her record tally, only former Arsenal team-mate Jordan Nobbs (49) has scored more right-footed goals in the WSL than Miedema (48). City's new recruit has scored 25 goals with her left foot, fewer than only Caroline Weir (26) and Lauren Hemp (32). The other seven goals came from Miedema’s head.
Miedema prides herself on her ability to be in the right place at the right time, and she has scored 70 goals from inside the box, a WSL record, three clear of England (67).
Her accuracy in front of goal has been a crucial factor in Arsenal becoming a consistent threat in the WSL, claiming the title with Miedema leading the line in 2018-19. She scored 22 goals in 20 appearances in that year, outperforming her 14.6 xG, while her 20.37% shot conversion rate showcased the ruthless nature of her finishing.
She has only bettered that conversion rate once since then, scoring 16 goals in 2019-20 while registering a 28.57% conversion rate. Miedema was deadly when big chances came her way in 2018-19 and 2019-20, scoring 25 of 36 such opportunities across those two seasons.
Attack, attack, attack
One of the reasons Miedema has been so dangerous is her ability to play in multiple positions across the front four. It is not just goals Miedema brings – she is also a creative force, having laid on 35 assists in the WSL, which ranks behind only Beth Mead (45) and Katie McCabe (36).
City’s attack could not quite get them over the line last season. Winger Chloe Kelly created the second-most chances in the WSL (51), behind only Manchester United’s Katie Zelem (57), providing five assists.
Hemp created 13 big chances last term, a league-high figure, as well as providing a competition-leading eight assists. Hemp was second, behind team-mate Shaw, for overall goal contributions in the competition in 2023-24, with 19 (11 goals, eight assists).
With Khiara Keating starring in goal behind a league-leading defence that conceded just 15 times, it was in attack that City still seemed to lack something last season – scoring 10 goals fewer than Chelsea en route to their painful goal difference title loss.
So what was the missing link for City? Shaw’s injury at the back end of the season saw them lose their most clinical finisher and Chelsea found a way back in.
Addressing City's fans in an introductory press conference, Miedema said: “I have spoken with Gareth over the last couple of months and I got a good feeling from him.
“If you look at my career I actually started as a left winger, then moved to nine and recently played a lot in the 10.
“I am versatile, I like complementing those around me and assisting. It’s not all about scoring goals. I think we need to find the right combination and go from there."
Although a brilliant goalscorer in her own right, Miedema's link-up play could help to push her team-mates onto a new level, perhaps even allowing Shaw to surpass her goalscoring exploits.
Shaw has clearly been the main threat over the last three seasons but Miedema's arrival should take the weight off her shoulders and let her play with even more freedom.
What better way for Miedema and her new side to start their campaign than with a WSL opener away to her former club Arsenal on September 22? That contest will give an early indication of the team most likely to challenge Chelsea for their crown, with debate already swirling over whether Jonas Eidevall may regret letting Miedema go.
What is certain is City have given themselves the best chance of getting the goals they need to challenge for the title. Having Shaw and Miedema link up should excite not only City supporters but all WSL fans, with the duo having the potential to form the league's best partnership yet.
St. Louis City v Minnesota United: Hackworth holding on to feint playoff hopes
St. Louis City interim head coach John Hackworth is confident his side can make a late push for the playoffs after going unbeaten since their return from the Leagues Cup.
St. Louis are building momentum at the right time, but remain six points adrift of this weekend’s opponents, Minnesota United, who sit on the right side of the playoff line.
Hackworth’s side were forced to share the spoils in their last MLS encounter against New England Revolution, but the 54-year-old preached positivity for the business end of the campaign.
“I personally believe that we're not out of time yet, you know, we still have control,” Hackworth said.
“We have to fix this little moment where we take our foot off the gas, where we don't play with the same initiative that we do to start the game. That's something we can fix. We have fixed it.
“We have gotten better. I'm going to say I'm blue in the face, but I believe in this group of guys. I still think we have a good chance.”
Minnesota, meanwhile, overcame the San Jose Earthquakes in their last match, keeping the gap between the teams below them to just a point with the luxury of a game in hand over most.
The Loons currently sit ninth in the Western Conference table and know a win is a must to keep their ambitions of remaining in that position alive.
Head coach Eric Ramsay acknowledged the enormity of the task awaiting his players but challenged his squad to deal with the raucous atmosphere inside CITYPARK.
“They have had a slight change in fortune over the last couple of games. They are fighting for their lives at the bottom in the same way that we are,” Ramsay said.
“They are a team I am sure that are looking at this game as being crucial for the remainder of their season and their fortunes.
“We have got to make sure we handle that situation well and that we understand the magnitude of the game for us and for them, because that will certainly play its part.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
St. Louis City – Marcel Hartel
Hartel has been involved in a goal in each of his first three MLS matches (one goal and three assists).
Since the start of 2023, four players have begun their MLS careers with goal contributions in their first three regular season matches, with three of them doing so for St. Louis (Hartel, Joao Klauss and Eduard Lowen).
Minnesota United – Robin Lod
Despite only playing the final half an hour in Finland’s Nations League defeat to England, Lod returns to the MLS with a record in his sights.
Lod has been involved in 54 regular season goals for Minnesota (28 goals and 26 assists), one away from equalling the club record of 55 held by Emanuel Reynoso (22 goals and 33 assists).
MATCH PREDICTION: ST. LOUIS CITY WIN
St. Louis City have not lost any of their last six matches against MLS teams in all competitions (W3 D3). This is their longest unbeaten run in the division during the club’s history.
But Minnesota have won two of their last three regular season matches (L1) after winning just two of their previous 14 (D4 L8). Minnesota’s triumph against San Jose last time out also ended a seven-match winless run away from home (D2 L5).
And it has often been the away side who have emerged victorious in this fixture. Both their MLS meetings last term ended with an away win, with Minnesota out to upset Opta’s data-led simulations at CITYPARK this time around.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
St. Louis City – 46.4%
Draw – 26.5%
Minnesota United – 27%
Gavi returns to Barcelona training after ACL injury
Spain midfielder Gavi has returned to training with Barcelona almost 10 months after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
Gavi underwent surgery after suffering the injury during Spain's Euro 2024 qualifying win over Georgia last November, causing him to miss the rest of the season.
He also sat out Euro 2024 as La Roja won a record-breaking fourth continental crown, beating England 2-1 in the final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.
On Thursday, Barcelona posted a video to social media of the 20-year-old training with his team-mates.
However, he is not expected to make his return to competitive action just yet, with Barca's next match seeing them face Catalan rivals Girona on Sunday.
Under new head coach Hansi Flick, the Blaugrana have made a perfect start to the season, with four wins from four games putting them top of LaLiga, four points ahead of defending champions Real Madrid.
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