Barcelona must ‘change mentality’ to win trophies – Xavi

Xavi Hernández mentioned Barcelona must change their mentality if they’re to have success this season after coming from behind to draw 1-1 at Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga on Saturday.

Florian Lejeune’s second half personal objective cancelled out Unai López’s opener as Barça’s winless run towards Rayo prolonged to 5 video games.

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Barça, who started the weekend in third place in LaLiga, 4 factors behind leaders Girona, have now gained simply two of their final 5 matches in all competitions.

“I think it was a game of two halves,” Barça coach Xavi mentioned in his publish-recreation information convention. “In the first, we dominated, but didn’t really go for the game, we were not aggressive.

“We lacked that mentality to go for it. If we wish to win trophies this season, we’ve to change our mentality.

“The second half was good but not enough. We woke up too late. We did what we wanted: dominated and created chances. We could have scored more.

“But we’ve to win these video games if we wish to win LaLiga, so we’ve to be self-important, too, and enhance. We have to be nearer to the second half efficiency.”

The result will further increase the pressure on Xavi ahead of pivotal games at home against Porto, Atlético Madrid and Girona in the next two weeks.

“It’s regular that there’s criticism, however I do know we are able to flip this round, there may be loads of time,” the Barça boss added.

“After profitable LaLiga and the [Spanish] Super Cup [last season], possibly our mentality has subconsciously dropped a bit. You can’t enable that, neither from me as a coach nor the gamers. We have to give extra.”

López gave Rayo the lead in Vallecas with a brilliant strike from distance which beat Iñaki Peña, who was filling in for the injured Marc-André ter Stegen.

Barça fought back after the break, with Ferran Torres, Pedri and Iñigo Martínez coming close with headers before Lejeune turned Alejandro Balde’s cross into his own net with Robert Lewandowski waiting to pounce.

Xavi was left aggrieved his side weren’t then awarded a late penalty for an Alfonso Espino challenge on Raphinha, while he also complained about a possible offside against Sergio Camello in the Rayo goal.

“We assume [Camello’s position] situations the objective,” he said. “If he would not have a participant behind him, Balde might even have let the ball go previous him [on the initial block].

“They’re decisions that are going against us. You will tell me I am looking for excuses, but there was also a clear penalty on Raphinha at the end.

“We will not be having any luck with these selections. That’s not an excuse. It is a transparent penalty. We [also] have to be self-important and play higher.”

Rayo coach Francisco said he had not seen the penalty claim back, but felt the draw was the right result.

“The first half was even and we each had possibilities,” he said. “We had been good tactically. We sunk deeper within the second half, however I do not keep in mind them being excessively superior. A degree is truthful.”

Rayo stay ninth in LaLiga after only one win of their final 9 video games, though they’ve now drawn with Real Madrid and Barça throughout that run.