Robert Lewandowski expressed his frustration after Barcelona’s 1-2 defeat to Atletico Madrid at home. The veteran forward acknowledged several reasons for the loss, and his words highlighted key aspects of the team’s performance on the day.
According to Lewandowski, mistakes played a significant role in the defeat, particularly in how Atletico Madrid took advantage of Barcelona’s errors on the counterattack.
He mentioned that Barcelona had several chances throughout the match but failed to convert them.
“I think there are several factors. Plus we made mistakes that Atletico exploited on the counterattack. I remember that we can play good football. We had chances, but we didn’t take them.
“I think in the last three weeks, maybe we lacked confidence and calm in the box in those decisive moments,” he said as quoted by FCB World.
Barcelona’s failure
Robert Lewandowski analysed the defeat. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Lewandowski added that Barcelona’s failure to capitalise on chances had been a recurring issue in recent weeks, and the match against Atletico served as a tough lesson for the team.
He stressed that sometimes, even if you can’t win, it’s important to avoid losing, a sentiment that resonated with him after Barcelona’s second-half struggles.
“I think this round was a lesson for us. Sometimes, if you can’t win, you should at least not lose the game. It happened to us several times in this round. I think in the new year we will come back stronger and play better football.”
Will the real Barcelona please stand up?
Robert Lewandowski could not score against Atletico Madrid. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
When asked about the truth of Barcelona’s performance, Lewandowski reflected on the contrast between the team’s performance in the El Clasico and their more recent form.
While he recognised that the team had shown promising play, he believed that Barcelona had been missing the final touch needed to secure victories, particularly in games where they dominated possession but couldn’t finish their chances.
“Sometimes you have to know, when you want to win but you can’t, you definitely shouldn’t lose the game.”
This lack of finishing, according to Lewandowski, was one of the main reasons they didn’t win against Atletico Madrid.
“Of course, you can be satisfied, you can play good football, you can look good on the pitch, but what we lacked today was the final touch, and that’s what affected us not winning this game,” he explained.
Playing with youngsters
Lewandowski has some advice for young players. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Lewandowski also commented on the challenge of maintaining high concentration, especially with a younger squad. With an average age of 23.7, the team faces difficulties in maintaining full focus in every match, especially with games coming every few days.
He explained that for more experienced players, like himself, preparation between matches is vital, and it can be challenging to shake off a previous win or loss.
“When players of a certain age play every three days, I think preparation is the most important thing. There is no time to celebrate a win.
“Once the match is over, you have to prepare for the next match, and that is the most important element,” he noted.
He recalled his own experiences from earlier in his career, admitting that it took time to learn how to stay focused and avoid letting the emotions of a win cloud his preparation for the next game.
“When I compare myself now to how I was many years ago, I remember that I was learning this too. Sometimes the win would stay in my mind, but I had to play two or three days later, and sometimes I lacked concentration.”
Everyone is angry
Robert Lewandowski said everyone at Barcelona is angry. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Finally, Lewandowski confirmed that the team was more angry than sad after the Atletico defeat.
He described how well Barcelona had played in the first half and the majority of the second half, but the team’s mistakes allowed Atletico to create opportunities and ultimately score.
“I think the team is more angry because we played a very good game in the first half. We were great, and even in the second half we were good, but because of our mistakes, Atletico created chances and scored goals.”
The frustration boiled over in the final moments of the game, as Barcelona threw everything at Atletico in search of an equaliser, treating the last minutes like a final where every goal mattered.
“In the last minutes, we played as if we were in a final and were losing the game, and we had to score at all costs,” he added.