Koeman questions attitude of players after shock Cadiz defeat

VIDEO SHOWS: NEWS CONFERENCE WITH BARCELONA HEAD COACH RONALD KOEMAN / STILL IMAGES FROM BARCELONA'S SHOCK DEFEAT TO CADIZ

SHOWS:

CADIZ, SPAIN (DECEMBER 5, 2020) (REUTERS PICTURES - ACCESS ALL)

1. STILL IMAGE OF RONALD KOEMAN WATCHING THE MATCH FROM SIDELINE

2. STILL IMAGE OF CADIZ STRIKER ALVARO NEGREDO CELEBRATING SCORING THE WINNING GOAL

CADIZ, SPAIN (DECEMBER 5, 2020) (LA LIGA / MEDIAPRO - FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO RESALES)

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FC BARCELONA HEAD COACH, RONALD KOEMAN, SAYING:

"It's very difficult to explain the goals that you are mentioning there. Those three goals that we conceded are very tough, there is also possibly a lack of concentration. I think today we lacked aggressiveness on the ball and that would help us to probably not concede goals today but it is not easy to explain. Based on how we conceded the second goal, I believe it is a lack of concentration."

CADIZ, SPAIN (DECEMBER 5, 2020) (REUTERS PICTURES - ACCESS ALL)

4. STILL IMAGE OF LIONEL MESSI DURING MATCH

CADIZ, SPAIN (DECEMBER 5, 2020) (LA LIGA / MEDIAPRO - FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO RESALES)

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FC BARCELONA HEAD COACH, RONALD KOEMAN, ON WHETHER HIS TEAM ARE OUT OF TITLE RACE SAYING:

"Well I think it is a very big step back for us and it is a big blow to our attempts to try and win the title. We have to have look back at this game where the final result is very disappointing but we have to accept and improve after this game. We are 12 points behind now a very good strong side like Atletico Madrid and it is a lot but we have to keep working hard. We still have a few games to play but it's true that if we don't improve and improve our attitude we will not get better as a team and we have to get results on the board away from home as well on the board."

CADIZ, SPAIN (DECEMBER 5, 2020) (REUTERS PICTURES - ACCESS ALL)

4. STILL IMAGE OF LIONEL MESSI DURING MATCH

CADIZ, SPAIN (DECEMBER 5, 2020) (LA LIGA / MEDIAPRO - FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO RESALES)

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FC BARCELONA HEAD COACH, RONALD KOEMAN, ON WHETHER THE PLAYERS ARE TO BLAME, SAYING:

"No I don't think so, we lost and won the games together where the manager plays a big role in that of course. But we have to assume that responsibility and we can't criticise anyone individually really. I think we should all have a long hard look at ourselves to night as we didn't play well enough. We have to accept this and improve."

CADIZ, SPAIN (DECEMBER 5, 2020) (REUTERS PICTURES - ACCESS ALL)

6. STILL IMAGE OF CADIZ PLAYERS CELEBRATING WIN

STORY: Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman lambasted his players for conceding a farcical goal during a 2-1 defeat by Cadiz on Saturday (December 5), criticising their attitude after they slipped 12 points behind La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid.

Alvaro Negredo struck the winning goal after a series of surreal mistakes from Barca as Jordi Alba's bungled throw-in flummoxed fellow defender Clement Lenglet and goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen kicked the ball against the forward, who gleefully followed it into the net.

"I believe it is a lack of concentration," Koeman said after Barca's fourth defeat in 10 league games.

Cadiz had taken an early lead thanks to poor defending from Barca following a corner, when the inexperienced Oscar Mingueza almost headed the ball into his own net but the hosts' forward Alvaro Gimenez scored instead.

Barca equalised in the 57th minute through an own goal by Pedro Alcala only to fall behind again soon after.

The comedy of errors which led to Cadiz's winner was the third consecutive away game in a row in which Barca have made unforced mistakes and failed to win.

"It's very difficult to explain the goals we are conceding lately. It could be down to a lack of concentration," Koeman said.

"When we equalised we had half an hour left to score again but then we conceded a goal that we cannot afford to concede, from a throw-in. We also lacked aggression when we didn't have the ball today.

"We had highs and lows during the game and also in our attitude."

Barca lost out on last season's title to Real Madrid on the penultimate day of the campaign but now risk being knocked out of the title race with little more than a quarter of the season played.

"It's a gigantic step back for our chances of fighting for the title," Koeman added.

(Production: Oliver Regan)