Loss to Cadiz is huge step backwards and difficult to explain, asserts Ronald Koeman

It also handed the La Liga giants their worst start to a Spanish top-flight season since the 1987/88 term with just fourteen points in their opening eleven fixtures. That combined with an Atletico Madrid win saw them push their lead at the top to twelve and it saw Ronald Koeman admit that the stunning loss is very “difficult to explain”. The Barcelona boss further added that the defeat is also a “huge step back in terms of winning La Liga” and that it’s “not the level he expects from” his side.

"It's a huge step back in terms of winning La Liga. It's disappointing but we must accept it, even though being 12 points back from a strong team like Atletico is a lot. The result today is difficult to explain. We concede the first goal and weren't good in attack, with too many players in the middle of the pitch. That's not the level I expect from my team. We must improve. We must be more focused. In general, the attitude without the ball was not good," Koeman said, reported ESPN.