According to a post by Fabrizio Romano on X on Sunday, October 25, 2026, João Cancelo has insisted that Barcelona performed better than Real Madrid despite losing their El Clásico encounter.

The Portuguese defender argued that Barcelona created more scoring opportunities but failed to make them count against their rivals.

“We were better than Real Madrid,” Cancelo said.

“We had more chances of goal, but this is Real Madrid. They only need a few chances,” he added.

Cancelo’s comments reflected his view that Barcelona had done enough in the match to produce a better result. However, he acknowledged Real Madrid’s ability to capitalise on limited opportunities.

The result went in Madrid’s favour, with the Spanish giants securing a 2-1 victory over Barcelona on Sunday, October 25, according to the LaLiga fixture record.

The defeat meant Barcelona were unable to claim the bragging rights in one of Spanish football’s most closely watched fixtures.

Cancelo’s assessment nevertheless focused on the chances his team created rather than the final score.

His remarks also highlighted a familiar challenge in high-profile matches, creating opportunities does not guarantee victory if those chances are not converted.

Against opponents capable of punishing mistakes, missed opportunities can prove costly.

Real Madrid’s victory gave them the result, while Cancelo maintained that Barcelona had offered more in terms of attacking chances. His comments did not include specific statistics to support the comparison.

The Portuguese defender’s assessment provides Barcelona’s perspective on the contest, but the final outcome remained a Madrid victory.

The difference between the teams, in Cancelo’s view, was their ability to make their opportunities count.