Rayo Vallecano coach outlines what they must do to beat Barcelona – ‘Have to be near perfect’ | OneFootball

FC Barcelona play hosts to Rayo Vallecano tomorrow afternoon at the Spotify Camp Nou on Matchday 29 of La Liga.

The Blaugrana head into the game on the back of a thumping 7-2 win over Newcastle United in the UEFA Champions League that sealed their place in the quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, Rayo, too, come into the contest high on confidence after securing qualification for the UEFA Conference League quarterfinals, despite losing 0-1 to Samsunspor in their Round of 16 second-leg fixture.

Rayo manager Inigo Perez speaks

Speaking to the media earlier today, Rayo Vallecano coach Inigo Perez outlined the keys to securing all three points against Barcelona.

“This Sunday, we have to be near perfect and hope they’re not on their game. We also have to get rid of the idea that we have nothing to lose,” stated Perez.

“Winning in Barcelona isn’t a miracle; winning is the team’s objective,” the Rayo Vallecano head coach added.

Inigo Perez motivated to face Barcelona. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

The last meeting between the two sides came in the opening round of the league season in August, when they shared the points in Vallecas, playing out a 1-1 draw.

So, Perez insisted that the degree of difficulty and the preparation for the game must be “the same” and that his team must preserve “the essence”.

During his remarks, he also referred to the demanding fixture schedule faced by players, noting that his team played on Thursday night, while Barcelona played a day earlier.

“These aren’t the best conditions to play in, but the players are showing they’re ready. Here, you either rebel or you accept it, so there’s nothing left to do but accept it,” Perez remarked.

He also highlighted the motivation shown by the team in Saturday’s training session, which he described as “different”, while emphasising the “emotional” aspect within the squad and the importance of approaching Sunday’s match with a “good dose of dopamine”.