MADRID, Oct 6. (Xinhua) -- Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo on Monday laid the blame firmly at the feet of his team's players for the 6-1 humiliation they suffered at the hands of Barcelona on Saturday night. Any thoughts Atletico may have had of being seen as title contenders went firmly out of the window as they found themselves down 3-0 after just nine minutes of Saturday night's game.
Barcelona's Sergi Busquets (L) challenges Atletico Madrid's Kun Aguero during their Spanish first division soccer match at Nou Camp stadium in Barcelona, October 4, 2008
Atletico coach Javier Aguirre accepted responsibility for the defeat at his post-game press conference, but speaking on Monday, Cerezo saw things differently. "We are all responsible, but at the end of the day, the ones to blame are the ones who are out on the pitch. They are the ones who play, because at the end of the day, neither I nor anyone else plays in the match," he said in sports paper Diario Marca.
However, with his side still on the top half of the table and with their next game at home to local rivals Real Madrid, Cerezo didn't want to dramatize events.
"We lost against a great team (Barcelona) and we have to look ahead to the future. The players had a bad game, they know that and they are the ones who have to sort it out on the pitch," he said.
"I apologize in the name of the players, the coaches and in the name of the club," said Cerezo.
Barcelona's Thierry Henry celebrates his goal against Atletico Madrid during their Spanish first division soccer match at Nou Camp stadium in Barcelona, October 4, 2008.