‘They were better‘ — Celta Vigo manager Giraldez admits Barcelona superiority after 4–2 defeat | OneFootball

It was quite an exciting match as FC Barcelona visited the Estadio de Balaidos last night to face Celta Vigo. The Blaugranes ultimately emerged as the winners with a 4-2 scoreline, but the first half was quite full of twists and turns.

Barcelona went into the half-time break with a narrow lead after Lamine Yamal scored just before the interval to give his side a 3-2 advantage. Robert Lewandowski completed his hat-trick in the second half as the team improved overall and secured the win.

Celta Vigo coach Claudio Giraldez addressed the media, as Mundo Deportivo has reported, after his side’s defeat to the Catalans, acknowledging the quality of the visitors while reflecting on his team’s performance.

One of the most talked-about moments came when Barcelona were awarded a penalty for a handball by Celta defender Marcos Alonso. Giraldez acknowledged that it was simply a matter of bad luck and insisted that his team’s defeat was not the referee’s fault.

“The handball was really unlucky because it came from a situation that posed no danger. Marcos didn’t intend to make himself bigger, but it’s true that this season, these kinds of handballs are being penalised. You just have to take it, and it’s a goal. These are very grey situations, and luck was against us. They were better; it didn’t depend on the referee.”

Giraldez also reflected on his team’s moments of promise:

“We had some very good moments when they looked uncomfortable, losing the ball, and their defensive line was disorganised.”

However, Giraldez claimed that fatigue and mistakes in the second half allowed Barcelona to take control.

“We spent too much time sitting deep. On the ball, we made poor decisions caused by fatigue. We wasted too many attacks and couldn’t create enough. When they’re ahead, they can monopolise play in your half, and it becomes very difficult to win the ball back.”

The coach also pointed to last-minute lineup changes that affected his tactical plans:

There is no doubt that Claudio Giraldez and his Celta Vigo team put up quite a challenge against Barcelona, especially in the first half. Luckily, the Blaugranes were able to get the full three points from this difficult match.