Tata Martino reflected on Barcelona’s struggles to get going during the first leg of their Supercopa de Espana Final with Atletico Madrid.
The Blaugrana needed Neymar’s second-half equaliser to record a 1-1 result in a first leg at the Vicente Calderon that was predominantly mastered by the host side.
“It was very difficult for everyone to find space,” Martino reflected post-match.
“It cost us to take the ball between the lines, they were close together and it was difficult to progress. We have played more long passes than short ones because short ones favour the team that is defending. So today we have seen more.
“To solve this we have to be mobile, accurate, make forward runs from deep, it is not easy. Atletico were better in the first half, we were in the second.
“Barca don’t know how to play differently, we will insist with this style.”
Lionel Messi was substituted at the break.
“He had a knock, it was troubling him, so we will study it to see its gravity.
“Independently of whether it’s a final or not, there’s no reason to keep a player on the pitch when there’s an injury or if there are physical issues that impede him from playing normally.”
Martino was asked of the possibility that Sergio Busquets deserved a second yellow during the contest.
“I’m not sure, it is a fairly common foul. That’s how it seemed to me. I cannot say. But I’m not convinced that it deserved a yellow.”
