Pedri Reflects on Barcelona's Mistakes in 2-1 El Clasico Defeat to Real Madrid

Barcelona midfielder Pedri spoke candidly about his team’s performance following their 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid at the Spotify Camp Nou. The Spanish playmaker pinpointed sluggish ball movement and defensive errors during the first half as key reasons for the setback.

Falling Behind Despite Second-Half Fightback

The defeat marked Barcelona’s first domestic loss this season, ending a nine-game winning streak. After conceding an unfortunate goal early on, Barcelona improved after halftime, with Pedri assisting Raphinha for the equalizer. Yet, a late counterattack finished by Kylian Mbappe caught them off balance, sealing the victory for Real Madrid.

Despite the loss, Barcelona still leads La Liga, holding a three-point advantage over their rivals.

Pedri Admits Team Was Not at Their Best

"I think overall we didn't play a great match," Pedri said during a post-match interview with DAZN. "In the first half, we weren't ourselves; there were many things we could have done better."

He emphasized how the slow pace of passing and careless turnovers hurt them against a quality opponent.

Regrets Over Defensive Lapses

"In the second half, we equalized and were playing better, but they scored on a counter-attack that we didn’t defend well," Pedri admitted. "They have quality up front."

He expressed disappointment over missing the chance to win in front of their home fans but stressed the need to focus on upcoming challenges.

Long Season Ahead for Title Race

"This is a long season, and a league title isn't won here," Pedri remarked, reminding fans that there’s plenty of time to recover.

Barcelona now turns their attention to their next La Liga match against Alaves at the same venue.

Match Details and Upcoming Fixtures

• El Clasico Result: Barcelona 1 - 2 Real Madrid
• Next Match: Barcelona vs Alaves, Saturday, Spotify Camp Nou
• Upcoming La Liga Fixtures:
• 31 Oct 2026 - Barcelona vs Alaves (22:00)
• 01 Nov 2026 - Real Madrid match details unavailable

About the Author

The writer has nearly ten years of experience in sports journalism, starting at Indonesia’s Tabloid BOLA and later contributing to GOAL, FIFA, and ASEAN Football Federation media. Alongside writing, he is active as a live commentator for Indonesian football and holds a degree in History from Universitas Padjadjaran.

His passion for football spans multiple countries and clubs, with strong ties to Persib Bandung, Inter Milan, Feyenoord, and a love for Dutch football culture. Outside football, he follows basketball teams like the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors.

Expertise and Personal Highlights

• Focus on Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes including Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea
• Skills include video content creation, player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication
• Favorite memory: Traveling across Europe and Asia to meet Indonesian players competing abroad

All-Time Favorite XI

• Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni
• Defenders: Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos
• Midfielders: N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup
• Forwards: Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, Zlatan Ibrahimović

Although legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are notable, they were excluded to highlight a unique personal lineup.