Barcelona defender Joao Cancelo insisted his side performed better than Real Madrid despite suffering a late 2-1 El Clasico defeat. The Portuguese international urged his team-mates to improve ball control while maintaining complete confidence ahead of facing Alaves.
Cancelo defends team display after painful home setback
Barcelona full-back Joao Cancelo offered a defensive assessment of his side's 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid at Spotify Camp Nou. Cancelo, who shifted to right-back following an early injury to Xavi Espart, insisted Barcelona created the clearer opportunities throughout the contest.
Raphinha scored Barcelona's solitary goal before Kylian Mbappe's late strike decided the match in Madrid's favor.
The result handed Barcelona their first domestic defeat of the campaign.
Defender claims Real Madrid punished minor openings
Speaking to DAZN, Cancelo argued that the final scoreline did not accurately reflect Barcelona's performance on the pitch. "We were the better team from my point of view, but this is Real Madrid; they create few chances and they score," Cancelo stated.
"I think overall we were the better team, but we have to react."
"There are many times when we want to press high... and other times we need to control the game more with the ball, which is where we're good," he added.
Full-back calls for greater possession control
Cancelo urged his team-mates to focus on their core strengths to prevent opponents from exploiting open spaces on the counter. "We need to have more possession, circulate the ball, and create chances, even though we had more than Real Madrid," Cancelo explained.
Despite the setback, the Portuguese defender issued a message of unity.
"We're a humble team, we like to work hard," he noted.
Barcelona focus shifts directly to Alaves test
Cancelo insisted the squad has already locked their focus onto securing three points in their next outing.
"The lads are already focused on responding against Alaves, and that's what we're going to do," Cancelo concluded.
Barcelona host Alaves at Camp Nou on Saturday aiming to consolidate their position at the top of the table.
A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.
Football Story
Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.
Areas of Expertise
Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .
Favourite Footballing Memory
Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.
My All-Time XI
It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.
