Hansi Flick refused to hide behind excuses after Barcelona's defeat to Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain. Instead, the Barcelona manager made a striking admission.
Barça clung to their chances deep into the second half, but PSG snatched a valuable 4-2 win on Tuesday night at the Parc des Princes, the standout fixture of the third round of the league phase.
It was Barcelona's first defeat of the season in all competitions, ending a perfect run of 11 straight matches.
Bigger tests lie ahead. The Catalans face Real Madrid this Sunday in the La Liga showpiece.
Flick admitted after the game that the French giants deserved their win.
His comments, carried by Spanish newspaper "AS", were blunt: "It was a great match from both sides, but Paris Saint-Germain proved they are better than us."
Turning to his side's second-half display, the German pointed to the threat of PSG's attacking transitions and conceded his players ran out of steam in the closing stages.
He added: "Paris have great quality in transitions, and we were also not in our best physical condition during the last 10 minutes. This is not an excuse, but we did not have the best preparation for this match."
Flick insisted on a reckoning. The team, he said, must analyse the performance, correct the mistakes and produce a better level in the matches to come.
Olmo injury raises concern
Dani Olmo also occupied the manager's thoughts. The midfielder took a collision and felt pain, and Flick confirmed they must wait to learn the nature of the injury.
Flick said: "Olmo took a knock and felt pain, and we have to wait."
He offered no further detail on the severity or the likely length of the absence, with the player's condition still unclear.
Special praise for Xavi Espart
There was warmer news for young Xavi Espart. Flick was quick to praise the full-back after handing him a chance against one of Europe's strongest sides.
The German said: "He put in a great match, and what he produces every time he plays is astonishing."