Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez looked a beaten figure on the touchline on Wednesday night, as he saw his side succumb to Rayo Vallecano in a 2-1 defeat. After the match he explained the reasons for his frustration, and he was not short of them.
Frustrated, he pointed out that his side used far too many long balls during the match, and that they were not loyal to the style he wanted.
Marca covered his press conference after the match, and perhaps the thing was most frutrated about was his team’s attitude – he was asked whether they were lacking motivation.
“I don’t want to think that, but it’s difficult to win this League. We can’t lack intensity, rhythm. We can’t afford it. The points total we had up to now was not normal. It’s been an intense game. We haven’t had control. We were never comfortable at any time and we played a bad game.”
Then it was put to Xavi that the La Liga title race could go on much longer than expected with more performances like that against Rayo.
“No, not long, what I want is to win it. We haven’t competed as the game required. This annoys me as a coach. To think about Saturday that, luckily, there is another game.”
The intensity was a recurring theme throughout the press conference, and it seems clear Xavi does not feel his players showed enough fight against Rayo.
“They have shown more intensity. They want to win La Liga, but the difficulty is clear. This ground required an excellent intensity and we have not had it. It is one of the reasons for taking us a deserved defeat.”
It could be a major problem in the final seven games of the league season for Xavi and Barcelona. The significant gap in points between the Blaugrana and Real Madrid has perhaps knocked the excitement from the title race. These sorts of performances and the lack of intensity from Barcelona’s players will reinforce that the La Liga title is not worth celebrating much if they do eventually win it.
Vohlnptyz
0
Winning la liga with weak squad,I just pity Real Madrid for hard luck, Barcelona didn't deserve be at the top of the table.
What’s the meaning of this things now A lot of things are happening What are the things we can do. A lot of things are happening that needs to be Hi how’s the weather over there
Zegliwegli
0
you have your own problem, but the most wasted player is known other than rapinha,ferran +ansu, they were all the most useless, just cash them and bring the reinforcement that suits the style, and finally that kid you brought (lamine yamal) most play some minute, I urge to give that kid some time to play.
He’s 15 years old, we shouldn’t pressure him to play his first minutes in a hard game. if we win the next 2 games then sure
NgoranEmile
1
When you win, it seems to be so easy, but when you lose that's when its understood that winning isn't easy...Forca Barca....mes que un club
Fadailmnpt
1
messi
Puzbdelop
0
Every team in La liga showed more intensity than Barca on that day.
lohailopz
0
Winning la liga with weak squad,I just pity Real Madrid for hard luck, Barcelona didn't deserve be at the top of the table.
Take 🧠
lieadinouy
1
you have your own problem, but the most wasted player is known other than rapinha,ferran +ansu, they were all the most useless, just cash them and bring the reinforcement that suits the style, and finally that kid you brought (lamine yamal) most play some minute, I urge to give that kid some time to play.
Gx277G
0
Xavi is the one destroying the team by putting in a soft mentality in them They are so much relaxed even the young players are more like they have won everything
pium
1
Xavi should be furious at himself 🙃🙃
controversial
0
am a Barcelona fan,but rayo vallocano play very well,they press and fill gaps very well,no excuse for the defeat
BabaYaga2312
0
Winning la liga with weak squad,I just pity Real Madrid for hard luck, Barcelona didn't deserve be at the top of the table.
Madrid will most likely finish with the same no of points as last season when they won the title it’s just Barca that have gotten more points this season than the last
Yaobckpy
2
Xavi furious for what? the players cannot give what they don't have. That has been the way they have been playing since that make fans complain all the time. Any La liga team that plays against Barca always fights to score them first. And if they succeed then the have about 90 % chances of beating Barca at the end of the match, it doesn't matter if the goal was scored in 3 minutes in the game or not. The truth is that Barca can hardly equalize the game. So what type of manager is Xavi . He can watch a match from minute 1 to the 90th minute without making any impact. At times I wonder why Xavi do substitution in a match. The truth is that Xavi is simply not a good football manager. He should be redeployed to Barca team B.
Blaqpablo
0
Winning la liga with weak squad,I just pity Real Madrid for hard luck, Barcelona didn't deserve be at the top of the table.
so Madrid should have topped nah since they deserved it....they both started the league together
Bode1
0
Winning la liga with weak squad,I just pity Real Madrid for hard luck, Barcelona didn't deserve be at the top of the table.
madrid himself lost dat shows u dat wen d league is coming to an End its get more difficult...Every average team want to know where dey stand at d End
Jahbcklsu
0
And whose fault is it Xavi? aren't you the one who coached them
Yesdikotz
1
every key game we don't do well why
Yesdikotz
1
i don't know how we find our self at that position
Yesdikotz
1
all the players were not playing at all it was even difficult to make a sub, no style of play bad game endeed
Yesdikotz
2
with this performance i think we didn't deserve even to win la liga
Wisemanjohn
0
If Xavi could stop that Spanish mentality Barca will flourish, he should start looking at the players abilities as well potential. what experience does gavi has to play every game? why did Barca bought quality players and use them on the bench? or is there something Mr Xavi is hiding from us as Barca fans? we don't understand and don't like the way Xavi is tracking his team with the same faces every game. why can't he use other players like Pablo, Kessie in some games on a full game bases ? the season is almost over and this players hardly taste moisture of their reason to be a Barca player.
Vibbdmopr
2
Winning la liga with weak squad,I just pity Real Madrid for hard luck, Barcelona didn't deserve be at the top of the table.
vreemann
2
Intensity and positional play kill you there Mr Xavi.
UPAMAGUIRE
2
just don't become Arsenal please
Barcacantona
1
The season is ending the match fixing has started
Vezonic22
2
Barça had me feeling like a high voltage running through me.
Dipangkarmazumder
1
you are big ass xavi..You going to make barca to next Arsenal...