'This is Real Madrid!' – Joao Cancelo delivers bold verdict on El Clasico defeat

Barcelona defender Joao Cancelo insisted his side performed better than Real Madrid despite suffering a late 2-1 El Clasico defeat. The Portuguese international urged his team-mates to improve ball control while maintaining complete confidence ahead of facing Alaves.Cancelo defends team display after painful home setbackBarcelona full-back Joao Cancelo offered a defensive assessment of his side's 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid at Spotify Camp Nou. Cancelo, who shifted to right-back following an early injury to Xavi Espart, insisted Barcelona created the clearer opportunities throughout the contest.Raphinha scored Barcelona's solitary goal before Kylian Mbappe's late strike decided the match in Madrid's favor.The result handed Barcelona their first domestic defeat of the campaign.Defender claims Real Madrid punished minor openingsSpeaking to DAZN, Cancelo argued that the final scoreline did not accurately reflect Barcelona's performance on the pitch. "We were the better team from my point of view, but this is Real Madrid; they create few chances and they score," Cancelo stated."I think overall we were the better team, but we have to react.""There are many times when we want to press high... and other times we need to control the game more with the ball, which is where we're good," he added.Full-back calls for greater possession controlCancelo urged his team-mates to focus on their core strengths to prevent opponents from exploiting open spaces on the counter. "We need to have more possession, circulate the ball, and create chances, even though we had more than Real Madrid," Cancelo explained.Despite the setback, the Portuguese defender issued a message of unity."We're a humble team, we like to work hard," he noted.Barcelona focus shifts directly to Alaves testCancelo insisted the squad has already locked their focus onto securing three points in their next outing."The lads are already focused on responding against Alaves, and that's what we're going to do," Cancelo concluded.Barcelona host Alaves at Camp Nou on Saturday aiming to consolidate their position at the top of the table.