Barcelona manager Luis Enrique refused to place the blame for his side’s 4-3 away loss to Celta Vigo on goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, with the Catalans failing to go top of the La Liga standings after Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw with Eibar.
The 24-year-old attempted a chipped pass from well inside his own area, only for the failed effort to ricochet off the head of the onrushing Pablo Hernández and into the net to put the hosts up 4-2.
The German goalkeeper also directed a wayward ball from the back in the first half that resulted in Celta’s Pione Sisto opening the scoring in Balaídos.
Despite this, however, Enrique refused to single out ter Stegen, instead slating his entire side’s early display.
“We didn’t win a single individual contest, we didn’t attack space, we didn’t take up good positions and we didn’t play with fluidity or movement,” the 46-year-old told Diario Sport.
“The Barcelona goalkeeper has to take risks. I’m not going to criticise individual errors. He has to play passes and when it goes wrong, we are not going to kill him.
“It is easy to criticise and say that maybe he shouldn’t have taken the risk, but everything is easy in hindsight.
“The defeat is everything and I am the most responsible for it. We win together and we lose together, but I am responsible for the rotations and so I want to assume my responsibilities.”
Barcelona now sit fourth on the La Liga table with 13 points, two behind current leaders Atlético and Real Madrid going into the international break.
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