BARCELONA HAS PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUE, NOT FOOTBALL ONE: XAVI

FC Barcelona head coach Xavi believes that his side has a ‘psychological issue’ and further admitted that players in his team lack courage. Xavi who replaced Ronald Koeman at the Camp Nou in November has managed to deliver two wins and a draw in his first three games. However, Barca then suffered a 1-0 loss to Real Betis and exited the Champions League after a 3-0 defeat to Bayern Munich. After such heavy losses, the manager was left questioning the collective mental strength within his dressing room. “It is a psychological issue rather than a football one,” the Spaniard told a press conference, as per goal.com.

“They have to believe it and that is my job. We are encouraging them to dare and be brave. At Barcelona it’s not worth playing 6/10 or 7/10. You have to aim for excellence. This is what is missing. Courage, aiming high and not low because that is not what Barcelona do. Being brave and understanding the game, we are not that far from what we want,” Xavi added.