Andrés Iniesta: "We didn't interpret the game correctly and we paid for it"

Barça picked up their third defeat in the league this season after this evening’s match at Anoeta, against Real Sociedad (3-1). After the game, Andrés Iniesta admitted that it was “a difficult loss, seeing how equal the league is right now.” He added: “I don’t know if this is a step back, but the feelings after the match aren’t good. We didn’t interpret the game like we were supposed to, and we paid for it. Real had a better approach.”

Iniesta admitted that the Basque team did a good job in stopping Barça from playing out their game plan: “Real played really well. They were better than us, we were always trailing them.

“This defeat shouldn’t make us give up. We have to work hard and turn this situation around. There are many points left, and we have games against direct rivals,” concluded the midfielder.

Here are the statements made by some of the players after the match:

Gerard Piqué:

“We're just one game off being league leaders so it’s not too troubling. These things can happen, when you attack it’s possible for them to score. Sometimes you don’t feel comfortable on the pitch, and you can’t maintain possession. Their second goal was a real blow to us.”

Víctor Valdés:

“It was a very important match, but in the end they defeated us. They were more intense, and they deserved the win.”

“La Real pressured us from minute 1. If you can’t overcome that intensity, you don’t win. We have to analyse what we didn’t do well in  order to improve. We will approach the rest of the matches of the season as if they were finals.”