De Jong, Fermin lament missed chances after Elche 1-3 Barcelona: ‘A bittersweet performance’ | OneFootball

Barcelona reclaimed a temporary four-point cushion over Real Madrid, and thereby mounted the pressure on Los Blancos with a win over Elche last night.

Playing away from home, the Catalans never seemed in trouble and always had the upper hand over the hosts who only really threatened on the occasional counterattack.

The game eventually ended 3-1 in Barcelona’s favour, but it left a feeling that they should have scored several more.

Captain’s thoughts

Barcelona captain Frenkie de Jong was stunning on the night and praised the entire team for their display against Elche.

“We played a great game. All of our players played well and we showed our quality.”

“A match may come where chances are missed, but the most important thing is that we create those chances,” he added on the topic of missed chances.

The midfield star then emphasised how it was an off day and how the team are usually far more clinical.

“We usually finish really well, much better than tonight.”

Frenkie de Jong was brilliant against Elche. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

“I could have gotten more assists tonight, but this is football. It’s fine,” he added jovially.

De Jong then expressed his enthusiasm and excitement for the business end of the season where there are high-stakes games and trophies on the line.

“This is the beautiful part of the season now. The end of La Liga, the knockout stages of the Champions League and the Copa del Rey. It’s fun and we are prepared for it.”

Finally, he provided an update on his fitness after the minor knock he received on the field.

“I suffered a little blow. It hurts, but I’m fine.”

Fermin Lopez’s ‘bittersweet’ game

Another Barcelona midfielder, Fermin Lopez, also spoke to the media after the game but the youngster was relatively disappointed with his individual performance.

“It’s a bittersweet performance for me. We won, but I missed two clear chances that I should have scored.”

He then called for the team to be more concentrated on finishing and rued all their missed chances.

“Sometimes it feels like the ball doesn’t go in. We have to be more concentrated.”

Source: Mundo Deportivo