Defender Jeremy Mathieu said Barcelona’s display in the first half of their 1-0 win over Celta Vigo was their worst 45 minutes of the season.
The Frenchman nodded home the winner from a Xavi Hernandez free-kick on 72 minutes but admitted the Catalans’ performance, particularly before the break, left a lot to be desired.
“It was a very difficult game and it’s always tough to play right after the international break because you tend to lose the rhythm you’ve built up beforehand,” Mathieu told a Press conference.
“However, maybe we are a little fresher than other teams because everyone gets a chance to play and that’s important going into the final games of the season.
“Celta were the better team in the opening 45 minutes and that was our worst first half performance this term.
“After that we made the most of a set-piece situation. Sometimes you win like that and the small details matter.
“I’ve scored two very important goals in the last few weeks and I’m happy. I used to get a few when I was with Valencia but you can always improve as a player.”
