FC Barcelona Coach Xavi Criticizes ‘Mentality’ After Rayo Vallecano

FC Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez demanded his players change their mentality and also had something to say about the officiating in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Rayo Vallecano.

Falling behind by way of a first half strike from Unai Lopez, Barca needed a late own goal from Florian Lejeune to save a point.

If Girona and Real Madrid both win this weekend, the Catalans could be as many as six behind the chase at the top of the La Liga table.

Post-match, Xavi insisted that the key to victory or lack thereof was “mentality” and Barca “not coming out in the first half as we did in the second half”.

“We can’t give away any more goals, this is punishing us a lot,” Xavi said.

“In modern football, it changes a lot when you can go ahead on the scoreboard. When we have to come back, everything is very difficult.”

Xavi thought Barca’s second half was “very good”. “The problem is that we are already going against the tide. If we had played from the start like in the second 45 minutes the story would have been different, the way [to play] is [in] the second half but from the start.”

“We have to be self-critical. We have to improve much more, if we want to win titles we have to give more,” Xavi demanded.

“Last season we won La Liga and the Super Cup and unconsciously this causes relaxation, but it can’t be, we have to give more if we want to win titles”.

Xavi said that he wasn’t looking for excuses because of Barca’s poor first half. If pressed, though, he would say that a penalty call against Raphinha was “clear” and that he didn’t agree with the decision not to rule Unai Lopez’s goal offside.

Xavi stressed that above all “there are no excuses”, with “self-criticism” and a “change of mentality” required.

“The game in the second half is what we want, it is the way [to play] and what we have to do is [make sure] that it is seen from the first minute”.

Refusing to accept that Barca are in a crisis, Xavi believes: “we can turn it around”.