Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta explain Barcelona loss to PSG with dig at Luis Enrique's tactics
Both players insist that Barcelona didn't lack attitude but football.
Sergio Busquets and Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta appeared to blame Luis Enrique's tactics for the Champions League 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint Germain on Tuesday night (14 February) amid Spanish reports suggesting that the dressing room have lost faith in their manager.
The Barcelona boss accepted the blame for the humiliating loss in his post-match press conference, saying that he was the only one responsible and the one who should be singled out.
And two of the most important players of the Barcelona dressing room appeared to agree with the boss, admitting that the La Liga giants problem at PSG was not a question of attitude but football.
Busquets all but admitted that PSG manager Unai Emery surprised the Barcelona boss, saying that the Ligue 1 side were tactically better and that they Luis Enrique had prepared a different game.
"I don't think I was about attitude. It's clearly a football issue. They've pressed more and were better tactically. They had a plan and knew how to implement it. They were better," Busquets said to TV3.
"It's clear we were imagining something else. We prepared for the game differently. But we now only can correct the mistakes and try to turn things around at Camp Nou, even though we know it will be really tough. After today it's not the best way for [the fans] to have faith in us. But we've always tried. It's really difficult, I won't lie, but we will try.
"I think they were better than us during most of the phases of the game. They have played better and their planning tactically was better than ours. They have surpassed us physically and that has been transformed in the final result, although maybe the result was a little strong."
Meanwhile, Iniesta also refused to single out his manager directly, but again insisted that the lack of football was the main reason to explain Barcelona's heavy defeat at PSG.
"I have never liked the word attitude and it doesn't apply to these players or this team. It's a question of football, it's a question of being well placed, so they don't overcome you. I don't like to talk about attitude because I don't think it was the case. They overcame us with football and making the most of their virtues. We didn't have the things clear," the Barcelona captain admitted to TV3.
"It's difficult to explain. We had a very bad day in a competition with no margin for error. They were better than us in every aspect of the game. We had a very bad day and there is no explanation. We have to think of the return leg and turn it around on the scoreboard. It's very difficult but we will give our best after this."
Yet, the quotes come amid reports from Cadena Cope claiming that Enrique has lost the Barcelona dressing room and that the players believe the manager will leave the club at the end of the current season. The radio station suggests that the bad relationship started long ago but the humiliating defeat to PSG has multiplied that frustration.
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