De Jong: We won't give up our identity despite the defeat, and this is what I want

Frenkie de Jong, FC Barcelona's midfielder, spoke after the defeat to Real Madrid in the Clasico, confirming that the loss is painful, but he stressed the importance of regaining balance and maintaining confidence, pointing out that the team is still at the top of the table.

Frenkie de Jong said: "Losing is always painful, and it hurts even more when it happens at our home ground, and it becomes more difficult when it's in a clásico match. This was not the result we were hoping for, but we are still at the top, and we have to bounce back after this tough week."

He added: "We have the team capable of achieving that, and we must not lose confidence, but rather continue on the path we are taking."

The Dutch midfielder commented on FC Barcelona's performance during the match, stating: "It's true that we weren't as fluid as usual, and we lost the ball a bit more, and this is one of Real Madrid's strengths. If you lose the ball in the first or second phase of building play, they have extremely decisive players who possess great speed."

De Jong stated: "It wasn't a mistake, we were largely in control of the match, and we were looking for the win because that is our identity, and we will never give it up, we must never give it up, but they scored after a counter-attack, and we need to perform better, but we will not give up our identity."

Regarding the support from the fans, he said: "We feel the support of the fans, and this makes us stronger, the team and the fans are very connected, and this makes us better and stronger. I hope we can continue in this way and celebrate more victories."

Frenkie de Jong concluded his statements by talking about the competition in midfield and his desire to return to the starting lineup, saying: "We have many players of a high level, especially in midfield, where there are really good players, and having competition makes sense in a team like FC Barcelona, it's not something new, and I want to contribute and return to the starting lineup as soon as possible."