Xavi's return to Barcelona has been heralded as a watershed moment for the club, but the legend's homecoming to Camp Nou has been delayed to begin. So slowly, in fact, that he has had the club's worst start in 34 years as a coach.
It's a statistic that emphasises the monumental task that Xavi faces in turning things around.
He has two triumphs, a draw, and two losses from the five games he has supervised.
DIFFICULT START FOR XAVI
A win against Espanyol in the derby was a great way to start his managerial career, even if it was via a controversial penalty, and there was also an amazing 3-1 win over Villarreal, but Barcelona has largely underperformed under the 41-year-old.
The goalless draw at home to Benfica ended their Champions League chances, while a 1-0 home loss to Real Betis has left Xavi and co. with an uphill fight to finish in the top four.
However, after a 3-0 Champions League loss to a strong Bayern Munich side earlier this week, few would blame the coach.
Despite this, he has had the worst start of any Barcelona coach in a generation. Fans of Barcelona, on the other hand, should be encouraged. Pep Guardiola is the head coach with the worst record in his first five games since Luis Aragones lost three of his first five games in charge of the club.
After a shaky start, Guardiola constructed a dynasty that lasted for the better part of a decade, during which Barcelona was one of Europe's top teams.
All of it has gone crashing down around them in recent seasons as a result of financial mismanagement, leaving Xavi with a squad that does not represent the club. There is no doubt that Xavi is entering the job during the most difficult time in the club's history, and fans will be patient with him while he tries to turn things around.
Barcelona's dismal start is thus as much a reflection of their predicament as it is of Xavi's abilities, but his track record thus far indicates that there will be no quick fix at Camp Nou.
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