In the first “Clásico” of the season, Real Madrid secured a 101-92 victory over Barça with a powerful offensive performance. Despite a strong effort in the final quarter, Barça struggled to keep up with their rival’s scoring pace and trailed for most of the game.
🗣️ Coach Penarroya on the Tough Loss
After the match, Barça’s head coach, Joan Penarroya, shared his thoughts on the team’s performance. He admitted that the team had a poor start, especially on the defensive end. “Against such a powerful opponent, you have to be careful,” he said, noting that Real Madrid’s physicality dominated the game. He felt his team should have been more physical in response.
🛡️ A Call for Smarter Defense
Penarroya explained that simply trying to match Real Madrid’s size and strength isn’t enough. “They are certainly stronger and bigger than we are,” he acknowledged. Instead, he believes Barça must find other ways to compete, such as being more aggressive and playing smarter. He emphasized that while the team showed a strong desire to win, their overall effort was not good enough to secure a victory.
🙏 Acknowledging Effort and Fans
Despite the disappointing result, which drew some boos from the home crowd, Penarroya praised his team for fighting until the very end. “Nobody is happy; it wasn’t the game we wanted to play,” he stated. “But I repeat, the team wanted it.” He concluded that the only way forward is to analyze the game, learn from their mistakes, and focus on becoming a more solid and intelligent team.
