Joao Cancelo vows Barcelona will respond strongly after Real Madrid defeat

Barcelona defender Joao Cancelo has backed himself and his team-mates to recover from their 2-1 defeat by Real Madrid in the Clasico, insisting the team will come back stronger.

The result at home, in a match surrounded by controversy, reduced Barcelona’s lead over their rivals in the La Liga title race to three points.

Cancelo said confidence would be essential if Barcelona are to overcome the setback and respond in their next match.

“We have to maintain our confidence in ourselves. That is part of being professional footballers and part of the profession we have chosen,” said the Portugal international.

The defender also spoke about the intense psychological pressure faced by Barcelona’s players, with the reaction from supporters and the media changing sharply depending on the result.

“We know very well the amount of pressure we are under,” he said. “When we lose, we are criticised, and when we win, everyone treats us as if we are gods. But that is football, and we have to deal with it.”

Despite the loss, Cancelo said the atmosphere within the Barcelona dressing room remained united. He also insisted the squad was continuing to work seriously in training as it sought to correct its recent problems.

“Me and all my team-mates work very hard every day, and there is a very high level of quality in training,” he said.

Cancelo ended his comments by reassuring Barcelona supporters that the players were determined to respond in their next fixture, make amends for the Clasico result and return to winning ways.

“For that reason, I am completely confident that we will show a strong reaction and try to win the next match,” he added.