Miguel Angel Moya admitted Atletico Madrid were the architects of their own downfall against Barcelona after they were defeated 3-1 on Sunday.
Los Colchoneros conceded two goals in the first half at Camp Nou and struggled to get back into the match, despite Mario Mandzukic's penalty after the break, leaving the goalkeeper to rue his side's performance in the opening 45 minutes.
“It wasn’t a good first half. We gave away many chances, which is unusual of us,” he mused to reporters.
“In the second half, we wanted to stand up, score a goal and get back in the game, and so it proved, but the 3-1 was the death sentence.
“Against Barca, you have to play like how we did, keep compact and play on the counter. We tried to cause them some problems, but the first half cost us the game.
“We felt comfortable about how we played. We’re a strong team and felt comfortable near their players, winning the ball back and pressing.
“We’re a mentally-strong team, we accept when we play badly. Now we must have think about the game in Madrid and find the motivation to continue. It’s our most important game yet.”
