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Mourinho takes Clasico loss blame as Pep switches focus on Barca’s La Liga hunt

Angela Asante, January 19 2012,
Jose Mourinho was not interested in giving out excuses in the aftermath of Real Madrid’s 2-1 defeat to Barcelona on Wednesday night. The Special One took full responsibility of his side’s failure to win.
Pep Guardiola has urged his players to focus on Sunday's Malaga vs Barcelona encounter.
Pep Guardiola has urged his players to focus on Sunday's Malaga vs Barcelona encounter.
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Related Articles: Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, La Liga, Malaga, Barcelona, Real Madrid
“The responsibility is mine, especially when my team loses. Victory has many fathers; defeat only one. I've been in football a long time and I understand this,” Mourinho told reporters.

“The [2011] cup final victory we all celebrated, but in defeat I am the only parent.

“We were winning 1-0 and that is a great result at home in a two-legged tie, but then we concede a goal from a dead ball and you cannot do that against a side with the quality of Barcelona,” Mourinho stated has he talked about Carles Puyol’s equalizer which Xavi branded as a “psychological goal”.

“After that it is normal that our players were a little bit deflated and their players get a great boost from a goal just after half-time, and that was the key to the game.”

Considering how strong Barcelona are at the Camp Nou, many believe it’s safe to predict a Copa del Rey quarterfinal stage exit for Real Madrid. However, Pep Guardiola isn’t getting carried away with his team’s 2-1 advantage over Real Madrid.

“We reacted well to going behind and to win is always a good feeling, but we have only played half the tie and Madrid is capable of anything.

“Now we must rest and prepare for Malaga and then the return leg. Tomorrow [Thursday], we must recuperate and prepare for the league because Madrid are five points ahead of us.”

Barcelona have a match against Malaga coming up in La Liga. The Catalans will be looking to build on the 4-2 defeat of Real Betis last weekend which saw them bounce back from a 1-1 draw away to Espanyol.

The second part of El Clasico in the 2011/12 Copa del Rey quarterfinals will take place on Wednesday, January 25.

Barcelona vs Real Madrid

Date: Wednesday, 25 Jan 2012
Time: 16:00 ( US/Eastern )
Competition: Spain Copa del Rey
Live/Repeat: Live
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona (Barcelona)

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