Both teams were reduced to 10 in a derby clash at Camp Nou before Luis Suarez scored the 56th-minute winner.
Setien is unworried
Quique Setien is not worried about Real Madrid after, on Wednesday, Barcelona moved back within a point of their rivals with a 1:0 win over Espanyol. Both teams were reduced to 10 in a derby clash at Camp Nou before Luis Suarez scored the 56th-minute winner. Barca have spent one game more than rivals Madrid, who appear at the top and on Friday host Deportivo Alaves. But Setien refuses to worry about the side of Zinedine Zidane, Madrid has to play four league matches. “It is not our business. We must worry about ourselves,” the Barcelona head coach told reporters. “What Madrid does, we will see.” After Ansu Fati was sent off in the 50th minute, Pol Lozano saw red for Espanyol three minutes later. Setien accepted his team were below their best three days after beating Villarreal, with Suarez’s goal increasing their title chances.
Luis Suarez: If Madrid drops the points, we need to use that chance
“We did not have a great match. They made it difficult for us in defense,” he said. “We did not find a place, and we did not have the accuracy in dealing with ourselves.” Barcelona’s tight set of fixtures continues with a clash against Real Valladolid on Saturday. Suarez echoed his manager’s comments after the match, stressing that the Catalans should remain focused on themselves to make sure they are ready to pounce if Zidane’s team slip up. “Whatever Madrid does, it is up to them. If the opponent drops the points, then fantastically, we should think about being there if they do. On the Espanyol game, Suarez added: “We knew it would be difficult.
We knew their situation. We must be aware that we staged a high performance on Sunday and still felt the consequences of that physically. The main thing is to win and get three more points. If I did not score in the first half or Barcelona did not create more chances, this is the virtue of the opponent, who was very well organized. I think they make it hard for Nelson Semedo and Jordi Alba on the flanks. But in the end, there was a chance, and I’m glad to be able to take it.”