Dani Alves has admitted Atletico Madrid deserved to beat Barcelona in their Champions League quarter-final.
The Brazil international also bemoaned the performance of his team, who he said lacked the same kind of ideas as Atletico.
“Of course they’re a fair winner. When a team does well in the way they have, we have nothing else to do but congratulate them,” Marca reports Alves as saying.
“We lacked the same ideas. Our rival played a high intensity game, had strong lines and following the goal they were able to defend and counter with fast passes.
“We tried lots of ways to get a goal but perhaps we weren’t good enough in the final situation.
“They scored a goal with their best chance but perhaps deserved more because they hit the woodwork.
“We should congratulate the way they played. They earned it.
“It was a very hard game and they played well. They had no choice.
“It wasn’t a matter of desire but of them using all their weapons and leaving the field very, very dry.
“They know that hurts our football because the game slows down a lot but their approach was perfect.
“The ball went forward, they fought for it and retaliated.”
