Xavi believes Barcelona have been affected by injuries 

Barcelona has encountered a fairly solid start to the season. The team has shown strong fundamentals but has struggled to make the most of their opportunities. As a result, they are currently third in the league table, three points behind league leaders Real Madrid, despite being unbeaten in all competitions so far. A key factor behind Barça’s season so far has been injuries. The club has lost a few key players due to knocks, which has gravely affected their performances. More than anyone else, it is Xavi Hernandez who has been left frustrated with the injuries to Barcelona’s key players such as Pedri and Frenkie de Jong. According to SPORT, the Barcelona coach believes the team has lost its brilliance due to the absence of these two critical midfielders. Pedri and de Jong are indeed the core of Barcelona’s midfield right now, especially following the summer exit of the highly experienced Sergio Busquets. The absence of Pedri and De Jong has hit Barcelona hard (Photo by ANDER GILLENEA/AFP via Getty Images) Pedri picked up a knock during the last week of August and has been sidelined since. De Jong, meanwhile, got injured last Following a difficult few months, some positives await for Barcelona, as they are likely to have Pedri back soon after the international break. In fact, the Spanish international could even be available for the upcoming game against Real Madrid, later this month. As for de Jong, the Dutchman might not make it in time for El Clasico. A long wait time was projected for the midfielder but that has not changed, as of yet.
Barcelona, though, could be boosted by the return of other important players including Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, and Robert Lewandowski, though the Pole may not be available for El Clasico.
In the meantime, Xavi is not using the injuries of Pedri and de Jong as excuses and will continue to try and revitalize a Barcelona squad that must be ready for the storm ahead.