The defeat of FC Barcelona against Atlético de Madrid (1-2) exacerbated the collective crisis of a Blaugrana team that has lost offensive effectiveness and, in defense, practically concedes a clear goal-scoring opportunity with every opponent's attack. In attack, Robert Lewandowski has been the main target and the Polish player faced the media after the third consecutive defeat for the Catalans in Montjuïc.
"In the last matches, we have missed great opportunities. Personally, I have felt that I lacked a bit of calm in the area and perhaps confidence in myself", admitted the '9' in an interview for 'LaLiga TV' right after the match against the 'colchoneros'. 'Lewy' was very subdued on Saturday, wasting a clear opportunity in the 75th minute, after a pass from Ferran Torres that he failed to convert.
I think this day has served as a lesson for us. Sometimes, if you can't win, at least you don't have to lose the game.
Lewandowski believes Barça needs to better manage the emotional aspect
Regarding the team's performance, Robert valued the good work done against Atlético, although he made it clear that self-inflicted errors, once again, opened the door for the opponent to hurt the Blaugrana defense. In that sense, the 36-year-old forward believes that the team needs to handle the results with more calm, especially in the final stretch of each match.
"In the last minutes, we played as if we were in a final and losing the match and had to score at all costs. Sometimes you have to know that when you want to win but can't, you definitely shouldn't lose the match", argued the player from Warsaw. However, he reiterated his confidence in the squad's ability to overcome common mistakes in several matches of the 2024/25 season.
"I believe that next year we will come back stronger and play better football. In the end, it doesn't matter how you play, and if you don't take your opportunities, it becomes difficult to score goals later on". He also revealed how important physical and mental preparation is to remain relevant in the elite. "When players of a certain age play every three days, I think the most important thing is preparation. There is no time to celebrate a victory. Once the match is over, you have to prepare for the next one and that is the most important thing", concluded Lewandowski in his talk with 'LaLiga TV'.
When I compare myself now to how I was a few years ago, I remember that I was also learning.