Pedri and Cubarsi Reflect on Barcelona's 1-2 Loss to Real Madrid: ‘We Didn’t Play Well’

Pedri spoke openly after Barcelona’s 2-1 loss in the first El Clásico of the 2026/27 season, admitting the team did not perform at their usual level. He pointed to sluggish possession and costly errors as key reasons behind the defeat.

The midfielder said, “Overall, we didn’t play a great game. In the first half, we weren’t ourselves; there were things we could have done better.” He added that although the team improved in the second half and managed to equalise, Real Madrid’s winning goal came from a counter-attack that was poorly defended.

Pedri highlighted a lack of rhythm during the match. “We lacked rhythm on the ball. In the first half, we were very slow and made a lot of silly mistakes, and against teams like this, you pay the price.”

Despite the setback, he reminded everyone the season is long. “It’s three points; we wanted to win El Clásico in front of our fans, but it’s a long season. The league is a long one. It’s a match we all want to win to dedicate it to the fans; it wasn’t to be, and we’re leaving here sad, but we have to focus on the next one.”

Cubarsi Urges Team to Use Defeat as a Wake-Up Call

Defender Pau Cubarsi shared his frustration with the team’s performance but encouraged his teammates to turn this disappointment into motivation for the rest of the campaign.

“We were a bit disappointed with how the match went. We didn’t rise to the standard the match deserved either,” Cubarsi said. “We could have reacted better, and it’s only October – this has only just begun. We need to make this a turning point and go for more.”

He mentioned the demanding schedule but refused to let fatigue serve as an excuse. “It’s no excuse, but the fixture list: we’ve played a lot of matches, clocked up a lot of minutes and were tired, but we can’t use that as an excuse.”

His final message was about focusing on upcoming challenges: “We have to win as many matches as possible, and this is a turning point that must help us be ready when the crucial moments arrive.”

Match Summary

• Final Score: Barcelona 1 - 2 Real Madrid
• Key Moments: Barcelona struggled in the first half but equalised after halftime.
• Deciding Goal: Real Madrid scored the winner on a counter-attack late in the game.