Luis Enrique: Clasico defeat has helped Barca

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique claims defeat to Real Madrid in El Clasico on Saturday has had a positive effect on his side’s morale.

In Luis Enrique’s first Clasico at the helm, Barcelona fell to a 3-1 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu as Cristiano Ronaldo, Pepe and Karim Benzema were on target after Neymar’s early opener.

Those three goals are the only ones Barca have conceded this season in La Liga, with Luis Enrique’s side having made a positive start to life under their former midfielder.

Far from being unsettled by defeat to their biggest rivals, the Barca coach claims it has improved their motivation to reclaim the title.

“It’s never nice for a Barca fan to see their team lose [at the Bernabeu] but I am not especially upset about it. If anything, it’s renewed our motivation,” he told a media conference.

“At the end of the day, we are joint leaders after nine games and for me it’s much more important to be top of the league than to have beaten Real Madrid.

“I’d happily settle for getting beaten at the Camp Nou against Madrid, Atletico and anybody else as long as we end up winning the title.”

With Celta Vigo the next Liga test for Barca, their coach remains certain on where the responsibility lies for last weekend’s setback.

“I am glad that the players and staff were ready to be self-critical after the game,” he added.

“I take full responsibility for the defeat. It had nothing to do with problems with fitness or attitude. It was particular circumstances during the match that affected the team.

“I would pick the same XI again. You never know how a game is going to pan out and there were things I didn’t expect from Real Madrid.

“Knowing that I would certainly have planned things differently but it’s very easy to be wise after the event.”