Three talking points ahead of Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano

Six matches stand between Barcelona and the end of the season. Despite not being in the running for any title, the final phase of the season is critical for the Catalans as it forms the foundation for next season’s rebuild.

On Sunday night, Barcelona take on Rayo Vallecano in what appears to be an easy clash on paper. Yet, the defeat to Cadiz last week serves as the perfect reminder that the position on league standings means nothing when it comes to predicting the final result.

Rayo have conceded 38 goals in 32 league games this season, scoring 33 times in the process. They average a goal per game and have maintained seven clean sheets.

Iraola’s men overcame Espanyol in a narrow win on Wednesday. However, they endured a poor run of form ahead of that, going winless in their last 12 games. Here are three talking points ahead of Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano.

1. Game and high-pressure management

The game against Real Sociedad midweek was peculiar, to say the least. Though Barcelona dominated the opening half with the spirit of a champion, they found themselves completely outplayed in the second half.

The team’s inability to maintain the pressure after securing a good start has been a problem for a long time now.

It seemed to be addressed after Xavi’s arrival when the Catalans went on to win game after game with four-goal margins. However, the issue has returned after the international break.

The whole problem stems down to one factor: the team’s inability to handle a high press. Turning the clock back to the Europa League quarterfinal, Xavi’s men were completely dismantled using the same strategy.

Needless to say, this is one of the biggest issues that Xavi must address. Whether it is due to psychological reasons or tactical reasons is something that remains to be seen.

2. A chance to loosen the noose?

A month ago, Barcelona were mathematically in the title race and every point mattered. The situation of every game being a final put the players to the ultimate test and tied down Xavi’s hands in terms of rotations.

Now, the conditions no longer are the same. Real Madrid are days away from securing the league title, and there is nothing for Barcelona to fight for except a top-four finish.

With the pressure no longer as high as it was, Xavi can afford to think of rotations on the night. Not only would it reduce the chance of injuries but also give the manager an insight into the resources at his disposal.

Needless to say, a thorough understanding of every player in the squad will help Xavi make vital transfer decisions and keep players that he counts on. Similarly, it will help identify the individuals who have no future at the club.

Players like Martin Braithwaite, Clement Lenglet, Luuk de Jong, Adama Traore, Riqui Puig, and Samuel Umtiti could be given minutes in the coming games to decide their futures. Needless to say, Xavi’s window of opportunity begins with Rayo Vallecano.

3. Riqui Puig’s golden window

The arrival of Xavi Hernandez was supposed to be the start of Riqui Puig’s resurgence at Barcelona. Despite initially impressing the manager, the youngster has not received any favours from him.

The 22-year-old has only started one La Liga game this season and has scored one goal. Though he has appeared in 11 games, he only averages 28 minutes per game.

The driving force behind the La Masia talent’s exclusion was the exponential rise of Pedri, Gavi and Nico. The trio have proven to be very special players and have barely laid a foot wrong since their debuts, giving Xavi no reason to stop backing them.

Now, with Pedri injured, the doors for Puig reopen. The youngster is still behind Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong, Gavi, and Nico in the pecking order but can at least hope for regular minutes off the bench.

Moreover, the fact that there is nothing to play for could tempt the manager into giving chances to fringe players, thereby opening the doors for the youngster to start.

`If Puig still fails to get minutes under his belt, it will be a clear sign to the player that his future does not lie at Camp Nou.