Barcelona sports chief Txiki Begiristain admits the drop-off in workrate of the players has hurt them this season.

Analysing Barca's situation last night, Begiristain told Catalunya Radio: "People talk about our mobility. The ball goes faster when there are more choices and to do so you must have more movement from the players.

"The second feature is our defensive intensity, we must retrieve the ball as soon as possible and, to this end, we need everyone working together when we're not in possession. These are the minimum things that must be met."

He added: "It is a system that has won us many friends in the football world, because we have been the benchmark. We need to get that back."