Barcelona defender João Cancelo has defended his team’s performance following their painful 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid at Camp Nou, insisting that the result did not accurately reflect the balance of play while challenging his teammates to respond positively in their next La Liga fixture.
The Portuguese international believes Barcelona created more scoring opportunities than their fierce rivals but were punished for failing to make their attacking superiority count. Despite his disappointment, Cancelo remains confident in the team’s ability to recover, urging his teammates to improve their possession game and exercise greater control when opponents attempt to exploit spaces on the counterattack.
Real Madrid secured victory in Sunday’s El Clásico through a brace from Kylian Mbappé, with Raphinha scoring Barcelona’s only goal. The result handed the Catalan giants their first domestic defeat of the campaign and provided Madrid with a significant boost in the race for the La Liga title.
Speaking to DAZN after the match, Cancelo acknowledged the quality of Madrid’s finishing while expressing his belief that Barcelona had done enough to trouble their opponents.
“We were the better team from my point of view, but this is Real Madrid; they create few chances and they score,” the defender said.
His assessment reflected Barcelona’s frustration after a contest in which they had periods of attacking pressure but ultimately struggled to match Madrid’s efficiency in front of goal.
Mbappé opened the scoring in the 41st minute after a dangerous delivery into the Barcelona penalty area produced a deflection that sent the ball into the net. Raphinha restored parity in the 61st minute, finishing a pass from Pedri to give the home supporters renewed hope of a comeback.
However, Madrid found the decisive breakthrough late in the game, with Mbappé completing his brace after an attacking move involving Jude Bellingham, Arda Güler and Eduardo Camavinga.
The result highlighted a familiar challenge for Barcelona against elite opposition: maintaining attacking control while remaining sufficiently organised to prevent opponents from exploiting limited opportunities.
Cancelo believes the solution lies partly in Barcelona’s approach to possession. The former Manchester City defender argued that his team must become more deliberate in circulating the ball and controlling the tempo rather than allowing matches to become unnecessarily open.
“There are many times when we want to press high, and other times we need to control the game more with the ball, which is where we’re good,” he explained.
The defender also emphasised that Barcelona must use their technical quality to dictate proceedings, particularly against opponents who thrive when given space to launch quick attacks.
“We need to have more possession, circulate the ball, and create chances, even though we had more than Real Madrid,” Cancelo added.
His comments point towards an important tactical consideration for head coach Hansi Flick. Barcelona’s high pressing and aggressive attacking structure can overwhelm opponents, but the approach can also leave spaces behind the defensive line when the press is bypassed.
Against Madrid, those spaces proved costly as the visitors remained patient before delivering decisive blows at key moments.
Cancelo’s own responsibilities increased during the match after an early injury to Xavi Espart forced Barcelona into a defensive adjustment. The Portuguese international shifted to right-back, adapting to the change as the hosts attempted to maintain their attacking threat.
The defender was also involved in a controversial second-half incident when Madrid players appealed for a red card following an apparent stamp on Yan Diomande. The incident added to the tension of an already intense encounter, although Cancelo’s post-match comments focused primarily on Barcelona’s overall performance and the need to improve.
Despite the setback, the Portuguese international stressed that the squad remained united and committed to putting things right.
“We’re a humble team, we like to work hard,” he said, reinforcing his confidence in the group’s mentality.
Attention has now shifted to Barcelona’s next assignment against Deportivo Alavés, with the Catalan side seeking an immediate response after losing their unbeaten domestic record.
Cancelo confirmed that the players were already concentrating on the upcoming fixture, making it clear that dwelling on the defeat would not help their cause.
“The lads are already focused on responding against Alavés, and that’s what we’re going to do,” he concluded.
The match presents Barcelona with an opportunity to restore confidence and demonstrate that the El Clásico defeat will not derail their campaign. However, securing victory will require more than confidence alone.
Barcelona must turn their attacking possession into goals, improve their management of dangerous transitions and show greater precision in decisive moments.
For Cancelo, the message is clear: Barcelona have the quality to compete with Real Madrid, but they must learn from the defeat and deliver a stronger performance in their next outing.
