Pedri: "We didn't play a great match, we were slow and lacked rhythm"

Pedri blamed slow play and poor ball control after Barcelona's defeat to Real Madrid in the Clásico.

Pedri was the first Barcelona player to react after the team's loss to Real Madrid, telling DAZN immediately after the match that the side failed to perform well overall. "We didn't play a great match. In the first half we weren't ourselves, there were things we could have done better," he said. "In the second half we equalized and played better, but their second goal came from a transition we didn't defend well."

The midfielder highlighted a lack of rhythm and too many careless turnovers, particularly in the opening 45 minutes. "We lacked ball rhythm. We were very slow in the first half and had many silly losses, and against these teams you pay for that," Pedri explained. He called for improvement but remained optimistic, noting the league is long and one match does not decide the title.

Frenkie de Jong echoed the sentiment, saying Barcelona were less fluid than usual and lost possession too easily, allowing Madrid's dangerous attacking players to exploit the space. Joao Cancelo felt Barcelona were the better team overall but acknowledged Madrid's clinical finishing, arguing the hosts needed to control the match better with possession rather than pressing high.