Jordi Alba has questioned the tactics of his manager, Ernesto Valverde, following Real Madrid’s 2-0 defeat of Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup match played at the Bernabeu on Wednesday.
A Cristiano Ronaldo-less Madrid team outclassed their bitter rivals 2-0, courtesy of goals from youngster, Marco Asensio and Karim Benzema to win the Super Cup 5-1 on aggregate, their seventh title under the managerial guidance of Zinedine Zidane.
Consequently, Alba claims they got their game plan on the night wrong, after thinking the absence of star forward, Ronald, who was handed a 5-match ban, would necessitate a change in Los Blancos’ formation.
“We thought they would play with two forwards, but they went with three and it made bringing the ball out difficult for us,” Alba said, according to the Express.
“[Still] Madrid were better than us in this game and the other game. They have a good midfield, but it was clear we wanted to win and that the Coach adopted a good approach.
“We have to face our game at the weekend with desire. It’s true that we suffered here, but there’s a lot of season left.
“We’re just at the beginning. We have to improve in certain aspects, but the team will certainly give a good response and have a good season,” Alba told Esport 3.
In a related development, another Barcelona player, Gerard Pique has hinted at disharmony at the club, as the fallout of their embarrassing defeat in the Spanish Super Cup to rivals, Real Madrid continues.
“We’re not in our best moment,” Pique said. “Not just talking about the team, but the club in general. We must all pull together. We must all be united, Pique said in quotes published by sportskeeda.
The former Man United defender, who has won six league and three CL titles at the club, also admitted that Barcelona were inferior to Real Madrid, albeit for the first time since he arrived Nou Camp.
“The season is very long and there is room for improvement,” Pique added. But in nine years at Barcelona, this is the first time that I have felt we are inferior to Madrid.
“It is true that they won the Champions League last year, but we came here and won not long before that.”
