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The head coach of the Netherlands, Frank Rijkaard, praised his team's work and the masterful performance of individual players after a 3-0 victory at the "Santiago Bernabeu" stadium in Madrid against Real, but he emphasized that the win against their fiercest rivals was not trivial.
"When you see the 3-0 result on the scoreboard at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, it might seem like an easy victory, but you have to work hard to achieve it," Rijkaard said after the match.
"It was a fantastic game, and a very important victory for us against Real, especially on their turf," the Dutch coach said. "It's very gratifying to win against Real, but now it is crucial not to relax and maintain the same focus and rhythm of play."
"It is very important not to lose focus in the upcoming matches," said the coach.
The Saturday victory allowed Rijkaard to become the first Barcelona coach to win two matches at the Real Madrid stadium.
Rijkaard praised the team but also highlighted the fantastic individual performances of Brazilian Ronaldinho and Argentine wunderkind Lionel Messi.
"The team played fantastically, and the hard work allowed players like Ronaldinho to shine individually," Rijkaard said, calling Ronaldinho's two goals phenomenal.
"Messi is also a great player and an exceptional talent, he definitely proved he is ready to play in these kind of matches," the Dutch coach added with praise.
Madrid Real's strategist, Brazilian Vanderlei Luxemburgo, admitted to journalists after the match that Barcelona deserved the win.
"They were stronger and deserved the victory," said the Brazilian. "They have a great team and were certainly in better form in this match, but there are still many matches left."
"The fans are certainly disappointed that we lost the El Clasico, but now it's important for the team to work hard. I still believe Real can become champions," Luxemburgo remained optimistic.
"Don't ask me, "Real's coach replied to a journalist's question about a possible dismissal. "Ask Florentino (F. Perez, Real's president). I am a coach and used to this. Now I want to continue working."
