“It was a heavy blow for us”: Laporta on the painful defeat in “El Clásico”

The main clash of world football, part of the 10th round of the Spanish La Liga — “El Clásico” — ended with an unexpected result. The Catalan club Barcelona hosted its eternal rival, Real Madrid, on its home turf and lost 1-2. After the match, the president of the “Blaugrana,” Joan Laporta, spoke to the publication Marca about the result and the team’s future plans.

Although the club leader acknowledged the defeat, he emphasized that there is no room for panic, noting that the squad consists of young and promising players and that Barcelona remains the leader of the competition.

“Real” shut down our leaders: Laporta on the factors of defeat

Joan Laporta assessed the tactical battle and the atmosphere on the pitch as follows:

• A heavy blow, but not a breakdown: “It was truly a heavy blow for us. But the team is recovering quickly. We have many young talents in our squad, and matches under such great pressure are a huge school of experience for them”;

• The opponent's tight control: “It was clear that ‘Real’ had prepared thoroughly in tactical terms for this match — they kept our key leaders under very tight control and managed to limit our attacks”;

• Coaching analysis: “The coaching staff has thoroughly analyzed all the mistakes and shortcomings in the game. We still have a very long road and important matches ahead of us.”

Situation in the tournament table: The goal is only the championship

Despite dropping points in “El Clásico,” the Catalan club maintains its lead in La Liga:

• A 3-point lead: After 10 rounds, Barcelona has 27 points, staying 3 points ahead of its main pursuer, Real Madrid (24 points);

• Unchanged goal: “Nevertheless, we are still the leaders in the tournament table. Our goal has not changed — we will fight for the championship until the end and we will achieve this goal,” Laporta concluded.

La Liga | 10th Round “El Clásico” details