Fermin, Lewandowski react after Slavia Praha 2-4 Barcelona: ‘If we improve a few things…’ | OneFootball

Barcelona enjoyed a memorable European night in Prague as they secured a 4-2 victory over Slavia Praha, with Fermin Lopez emerging as the standout performer. 

The young midfielder scored two crucial and eye-catching goals, a display that rightly earned him the Man of the Match award.

Speaking after the match, Fermin was quick to acknowledge the extremely difficult playing conditions faced by the players. 

With temperatures dropping to -7°C, the Barcelona midfielder admitted that the cold took a physical toll on the squad, but he refused to use it as an excuse for any shortcomings.

“It’s very difficult, your feet hurt, your hands hurt… But that’s no excuse. We did the best we could,” he acknowledged.

Analysis of his performance

Reflecting on his performance and role within the team, Fermin highlighted his determination to make the most of every opportunity given to him by the coaching staff.

“I try to take advantage of the opportunities the coach gives me to help the team. The whole team did a great job. We deserved it,” said the player.

The attacking midfielder also revealed that Barcelona were fully aware of how important goal difference could be in the Champions League standings. 

“We knew the goal difference was important. We wanted to keep a clean sheet. The important thing is the victory. We won by two, now on to the next game,” he said.

Despite the positive result, the night was not without concern. The biggest worry came with the injury to Pedri, who was forced off with muscle discomfort. 

Lewandowski scored his first UCL goal of the season. (Photo by Gabriel Kuchta/Getty Images)

“I haven’t spoken to him yet, but he has noticed discomfort in his hamstring. It’s very tough that he might be injured. Hopefully not. And if he is, hopefully it won’t be for long. We need him,” said Fermin.

Lewandowski takes the stage

Following Fermin’s heroics, Robert Lewandowski also shared his thoughts after scoring his first Champions League goal of the season. 

The striker admitted Barcelona struggled early on but showed a clear improvement after the break.

“We had problems in the first half, conceding two goals, but in the second half we played much better.”

Lewandowski also spoke about how challenging it was to adapt to the freezing conditions before expressing his satisfaction at finally opening his Champions League account for the season.

“It wasn’t easy. We needed time to adapt to the cold. It’s my first goal, and now it might be easier for me.

“I’m very happy. If we improve a few things, we can be more dangerous and have more options in attack,” explained the forward.

Looking ahead, Barcelona remain well placed to finish in the top eight of the Champions League standings. 

Lewandowski made it clear that the path forward is already defined within the dressing room.

“We’ve talked about it in the locker room. There are eight of us with 13 points, so the most important thing for us will be to try to win the last game against Copenhagen. 

“If we play well, we’ll have a good chance of advancing directly to the next round of the Champions League.”

Source: SPORT