Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has immediately switched his attention to Wednesday’s Spanish Primera Liga clash against Sevilla following the “disappointing” clasico defeat to Barcelona.
Benzema scored a double at the Bernabeu in Sunday’s game, but Barca claimed a 4-3 victory thanks to Lionel Messi’s hat-trick, which included two penalties, in a game where Sergio Ramos was sent off for a foul on Neymar.
The result means the title race is wide open, with Madrid level on points with leaders Atletico Madrid and Barca one point back.
Benzema told the club’s website: “We’re disappointed with the result. We scored three goals and had control of the game.
“When Barcelona don’t have it, it is very difficult for them and we played a great game. Barcelona always have possession and we adapted our game against that team and we were doing well.
“It was a night with a lot of key moments and now we’ll try and beat Sevilla. At this point in the season the matches are all finals, and we know that Atletico take on Barcelona on the final day, so we have to think about ourselves in order to win.”
Madrid defender Marcelo also tried to stay positive, saying: “We can hold our heads high. There are still a lot of matches to play. If we had beaten Barcelona it would not have been the end of La Liga, and we knew they were a great team.
"I'm not going to speak about the referee because there's no need. It made it difficult playing with a man down, but there is still a lot of league to play.
“We are going to try and get a victory away to Sevilla. We have to see what our errors were so that we don’t repeat them. It’s another game, another final, and we have to win no matter what.”
Barcelona are also in action on Wednesday as they host Celta Vigo, and manager Gerardo Martino said he believes Sunday's success will galvanise his side.
“The league starts anew now,” he said. “More than the mathematical distance we were behind, the impression was people wrote us off. Atletico Madrid were always in the fight and I think that, after this result, we are, too.
“We knew if we didn’t win tonight it was over for us. We still don’t have matters in our own hands, but we’ll now fight until the end.”
Messi broke the record for most goals in the clasico fixture with his treble as he moved to 21, and he also became the second-highest scorer in league history during the evening,
“It is difficult to talk about Leo because it is fruitless; compliment after compliment, record after record,” Martino said. “Today I think he broke two records, and it is deserved.
“I have to value the work, effort and commitment of all the team. Leo has had many games like this.”
Leaders Atletico entertain Granada on Wednesday as part of the full midweek schedule of games in the Primera Liga.
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