Minutes after conceding four goals against his former squad for the second consecutive year, Luis Enrique Martinez regretted the fact that Barcelona failed to take advantage of Real Madrid's slip-up and shouldered the blame for the loss.
The third-year coach admitted Celta Vigo were the superior team at Estadio Balaidos on Sunday evening, and the 46-year-old stated the Galician side, whom he coached in the 2013/14 campaign, continue to have the weapons to hurt the Catalans.
"If there's a team that can hurt us, it's Celta, and if I have to lose against a superior opponent, I'm glad it's them," Luis Enrique said. "I can't take away much in terms of positives from this match.
"Aware that we could end the day as the outright leaders, we started the match off well but once we hit the 15-minute mark, we began losing individual battles, kept being imprecise in transitions and, on top of that, we erred when we tried to build up from the back."
The noteworthy comeback attempt in the second half, which fell one goal short of the draw, was not sufficient for the Asturian coach to leave Vigo anywhere near satisfied.
"We clawed back into the game, but their fourth goal killed our hopes," Luis Enrique lamented.
"In spite of the chances we had to squeeze a draw, I can't leave town happy."
The former Spanish international shrugged off the criticism towards his line-up, featuring perhaps too many reserve players, especially in midfield.
"I don't regret having chosen that line-up," he confidently replied.
"I'm a coach so my job is to make pre-match decisions; it's quite simple to criticise after things go wrong.
"I don't think I've had a bad career."
Lastly, rather than blasting goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen for his careless mistake, Luis Enrique encouraged him to keep doing what he is doing.
"Our keeper is crucial for our playing style to prosper," the Asturian pointed out.
"I'm sure there were easier solutions to that situation, but I'm the main culprit for what happened today on the pitch, not ter Stegen."
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