Jagoba Arrasate reflected on the lesson learned for Real Sociedad in losing 2-0 at home to Shakhtar Donetsk.
The Basques opened their second ever Champions League campaign at home to the Ukrainians with a 2-0 defeat, decided with two Alex Teixeira strikes in the second half.
“We are left with a bitter taste in our mouths. We did enough to take the lead but after they scored they were highly efficient,” rued Arrasate after the game.
“Yet even then we could have equalised with that effort that came back off the crossbar. We were missing a killer instinct up front.
“We already knew this was the best tournament and it is; even though you might do things well, you need some luck and you need to be clinical.
“We know that in the Champions League these things can happen.
“The loss makes qualifying that much more difficult but we are not giving up and will go to Germany to face Bayer Leverkusen full of hope.”
Arrasate’s night was also made worse for a knee injury Esteban Granero looks to have picked up.
“We are worried about the injury Esteban Granero picked up. His knee went. We will wait for the results of the tests but it doesn't look good.
“ If there is one thing you can count on in our dressing room, it is that the players will lift themselves.
“Right now we all have our heads down, which is normal. From tomorrow, however, we will be thinking about Malaga [this weekend].
“We realise we are facing an exciting but very demanding season.”