Liga BBVA Real Madrid 3-1 Barcelona
Neymar wonderfully opened the score early after only 4 minutes of play in a game Barcelona had the control early. Suarez, for his first appearance with the team, delivered the first assist for Neymar and dished a precise pass to Messi right after the first quarter of the game that inexplicably did not go in. Barcelona had missed their chance to go up 2-0 and would never see the goal again in Madrid tonight…
FC Barcelona coach Luis Enrique:
I was looking for a different type of game, not so open, and with better defence on our behalf. We started out well but then they had clearer chances. We could have made it 2-0, but overall it was a tough first half.”
“there are teams as good as us, or even better.” – against PSG “In that match, we deserved more, but in this one it were Madrid who deserved more.”
“We’ll keep going and at the end of the season we’ll see where we stand”
on Luis Suarez’s performance: “he looked good, better than I thought he would.”
Defender Gerard Pique:
“in the first half it wasn’t so bad, however after their second goal we tried to attack more. And here in the Bernabeu that just opens it up a little more for them to do some damage on the counterattack. But I think the result is fair.”
about his handball that led to a Madrid penalty which drew the match even. “I’m on the ground and my arm just doesn’t disappear. I did touch the ball, albeit unintentionally,” he confessed.
Midfielder Xavi Hernandez:
“We didn’t lose control at all; when they went up they were more comfortable.”
“When we were up 1-0, we should have taken longer possessions. We just missed out on the second goal, and when you miss those in the Bernabeu you pay a hefty price.”
“Each team had their own for a half. After their second goal, they stayed back and looked for counterattacks.”
www.fcbarcelona.com
