Valencia coach Baraja: We lacked spirit for Atletico Madrid defeat

Valencia coach Ruben Baraja was unhappy with a lack of aggression after their 3-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid.

Atletico cruised to victory thanks to goals from Antoine Griezmann, Yann Carrasco and Thomas Lemar.

Baraja said, "I'm upset today, especially because this is also an important day for the club and the fans. I'm sad. Facing these games is a challenge but I would have liked us to have competed in a different way; you have to be self-critical. We needed to be more of a team. When we were able to get into the game, the referee's decisions hindered us, and the second goal did a lot of damage because it broke us down.

"We have to admit that Atletico were the better side, but you have to be self-critical. I expected to see another kind of spirit and I leave here unhappy. It is a reality that we are in this situation and it is no coincidence. If we don't compete as a team, we will find it much harder to get out of the situation.

"We have to think that we came here with the ambition of having a good match. It didn't go well and we have to improve. We are in the fight, we know what the way is because we have experienced it and we must not stray from it. We have to realise that if we don't do that, any team can beat you, but if we do, then we can compete with anyone. We are going to have to take all these experiences into games of great intensity and importance with rivals who have a lot at stake, just like us."