Barcelona magician delivers brutal verdict on Atletico Madrid draw – ‘We have to be smarter’ | OneFootball

Barcelona midfielder Pedri once again delivered an outstanding performance against Atletico Madrid, just as he did in the league clash back in December.

This time, in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg, history seemed to repeat itself. Pedri found the net once more, but Atletico struck in stoppage time to make it 4-4, leaving everything wide open for the second leg.

The result was frustrating, especially considering that Barcelona had a strong lead at 4-2.

Pedri’s admission

Pedri admitted that the team needed to manage the game better in those closing stages.

He emphasised the importance of maintaining control in such situations, particularly after experiencing a similar scenario in the league meeting two months ago.

Despite their advantage, Barcelona failed to slow the tempo, allowing Atletico to claw their way back into the contest.

“The final draw leaves a bad taste in my mouth. We had to be smarter with the ball at 4-2, it happened to us in the league, we weren’t ready and we have to learn,” he began saying.

Should have looked for more goals

Pedri was on the scoresheet against Atletico Madrid. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Pedri, who was substituted after Barcelona’s third goal, was visibly exhausted after putting in a tremendous effort. However, his absence left a void in the midfield, and the team struggled to maintain composure in the final moments.

He acknowledged that Barcelona should have been more patient, opting for longer spells of possession instead of rushing forward unnecessarily. Additionally, defensively, they could have positioned themselves better to prevent Atletico’s late resurgence.

“We had to calm the game down. Go for the fifth, yes, but with a level head, with longer possessions.

“However, we rushed into several actions. And without the ball, perhaps we could have pushed the line back a little more at times. We have to learn from all this.

“Those 70 minutes in which we played a great game, playing like that we are almost unstoppable,” he added.

Facing Atletico away from home

Pedri made an honest assessment about the game. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

Looking ahead to the second leg at the Metropolitano, Pedri is confident that Barcelona will give everything to secure a place in the final.

He knows that facing Atletico on their home turf is never easy, given the pressure they exert, but he remains optimistic about their chances.

“It’s clear that we’re going to go for it. When we’re doing well, we’re very difficult to beat. The return leg will be difficult because Atletico always puts pressure on, especially at home,” he said.

If Barcelona can replicate their best moments from the first leg while learning from their mistakes, they will stand a strong chance of advancing.

Source: Mundo Deportivo