Pablo Machín during the press conference in Balaídos
First team

MACHÍN: 'WE WERE NOT AT OUR BEST AND THAT HURTS ME'

02/02/2019
The manager was hurt after the defeat: 'You can lose, but as long as the opponent is better than you and you give it your all'

Pablo Machín did not hide his disappointment after the defeat against Celta in Balaídos: 'I'm annoyed because we should have played better. Celta should not have beat us with the game they played, I could speak about circumstances which haven't helped the team, but I don't want to give excuses and I accept that we did not play as well as we should have. You can only congratulate the opponent if they deserve to win, but today we're leaving with a defeat when the other team did not too much.'

Machín said he knew Celta were determined, but that neither team was at their best: 'I can tell you the truth, but I don't want it to seem like I'm avoiding responsibilities. They were in the bottom three and needed this win at home. Although even at that I don't think they were at their best. We were poor as well, we were too ponderous and in a given moment a lack of concentration can change the game. We could have changed it with Ben Yedder's chance from the corner or when he hit the post, but we didn't play at our best level, that hurts me and I am responsible.'

With a week before the next game, there is a lot of time to prepare: 'I accept my responsibility. We should have played better and we will use the week to recover and get back on the right track. You can lose, but as long as the opponent is better than you and you give it your all. I have to get that into the squad, today we weren't at our best.'