Enrique: We deserved to win

BARCELONA	REAL MADRID
1	1
(Luis Suarez 53)	(Sergio Ramos 90)

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique and his players were adamant that they deserved to win yesterday morning's (Singapore time) El Clasico but the man who denied them at the death, Sergio Ramos, believes otherwise.

The result at the Nou Camp kept the capital club six points clear at the top of La Liga.

Ramos' bullet header from a Luka Modric free-kick in the final seconds of normal time rescued a point for Real and extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 33 matches.

Barcelona took the lead in the 53rd minute through a Luis Suarez header, and they should have doubled their advantage with chances which fell to Neymar and Lionel Messi.

Said Enrique: "We deserved to win.

"We could have closed the game out, we had it in our hands, but we have not achieved it.

"It is not the best result for us. It was a very even first half and a second where we were better, we created chances.

THE BETTER TEAM

"In my opinion, the performance of the team was higher than that of the rival, but we have to improve, it is clear."

His sentiments were shared by goalscorer Suarez, who told beIN Sports: "We worked hard, had chances but, if you don't take them, then that sort of thing can happen.

"I think we were the better side and we did everything possible."

Midfielder Ivan Rakitic added that his team had controlled the match.

He told Barcelona's official website: "We had it all under control and there was never any danger. Things were feeling fine out on the pitch because we came so close to scoring the second goal".

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique feels that the Catalan club's defending of high balls wasn't up to scratch.

He said: "Real Madrid are very strong on high balls and we should have kept it tighter at the back - we needed to grit our teeth and stop them from shooting."

Ramos, who has made a habit of scoring late goals - including in the 2013/14 Champions League final - insisted late fightbacks are part of Real's DNA.

He said: "At the end of the day, the DNA of Real Madrid obliges you to fight until the end, to always have hope...

"The score was an unfair reflection and then a great cross from (Luka) Modric created this fantastic goal."

Teammate Casemiro, too, believed a draw was a fair result, saying: "We played an incredible first half.

"We had opportunities to score and win, but it was a very even game and the draw is a fair result for both teams."

Modric, meanwhile, feels the late equaliser made the one point feel like all three.

The Croat told Real's official website: "They were more dominant in the second half and they went ahead, but we never give up and a goal like that in El Clasico feels like a win."

However, their manager Zinedine Zidane insisted Real's last-gasp draw did not "taste like a victory".

He said: "It is just one point, it does not taste like a victory.

"It is a good point, and we keep picking them up. I don't believe this is a blow for Barca's morale." - WIRE SERVICES

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OTHER RESULTS

• Real Betis 3 Celta Vigo 3
• Atletico Madrid 0 Espanyol 0
• Granada 2 Sevilla 1
• Leganes 0 Villarreal 0