Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard is looking for an immediate response from his team following La Liga defeat to Sevilla on Saturday.
Sevilla knocked Barca off top spot in the Primera Liga on Saturday courtesy of their 2-1 win, and Rijkaard is hoping his players absorb the lessons from that defeat when they take on Liverpool in Tuesday’s Champions League clash.
Barca have to overturn a 2-1 deficit, and Rijkaard hopes his players can learn from Saturday’s defeat.
“I hope it is a lesson we can all learn from going into Tuesday’s game as Liverpool will fight like Sevilla,” he said.
“There’s no time to think too much. We know what to expect against Liverpool. It’s the best time to face up to the Champions League game.”
“Everyone, including all their fans, think they are already through and so they will be under a lot more pressure than us.”
“We committed some errors in our own stadium and I think we now need to take the pressure off ourselves if we are to play well. We have the necessary quality and talent to pull off a surprise.”
Ronaldinho had put the reigning Spanish and European champions 1-0 up early on and the Brazilian then had the chance to double the lead from the penalty spot in the 27th minute.
But the former FIFA World Player of the Year saw his spot-kick saved and Sevilla, despite having a player sent off, came back to take all three points.
Rijkaard refused to single out any individual for the defeat, noting that the team must share collective responsibility when things are going badly.
“I don’t like to blame one player,” the Dutchman said.
“The goals conceded are a consequence of errors of the team regarding aggressiveness or not being attentive. We win together and lose together.
“The defeat can be a lesson. I’m not going to cry about the defeat, I’ve already said that it will not decide the Liga.”
