Primera Liga: Consecutive defeats don't worry Barcelona

Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets says his team mates are not alarmed despite succumbing to a second consecutive defeat. The Spanish champions were surprisingly defeated 2-1 by Ajax in the Champions League last Tuesday and then they lost 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao in last Sunday's Primera Liga fixture. Those were Gerardo Martino's first two losses as Barcelona boss following his appointment last summer. "There's no need to be alarmed, we just have to carry on. We have to learn both from our errors and the things we are doing well," Busquets said. Barcelona had already reached the Champions League knockout stages so the defeat at Ajax could have been blamed on a lack of concentration and motivation. But the defeat at Bilbao is painful as it leaves Barcelona top of the Spanish table but only on goal difference from Atletico Madrid and three points clear of rivals Real Madrid. Javier Mascherano added: "Nobody lies to lose - it hurts to be beaten - but let's not forget we are still leaders. We're going home sad. We were more intense than against Ajax, but that wasn't enough to give us the win. We have to put right the things we have done badly and look at ourselves, but we've done things right too." Coach Gerardo Martino, who had never managed in Europe before this season, is disappointed that his side squandered chances before Iker Muniain's 70th-minute winning goal for Bilbao. "We were the better side until then," he said. "What really hurt us was their goal because we had had moments of control and some penetrating attacks. We aren't used to losing - particularly not two in a row. We had been looking to put things right after the defeat in Amsterdam. I think things would have been different if we'd scored first - it would have been a different game. We had plenty of opportunities to score. This team know what they have to do and how we have to play. I thought we saw a good Barca tonight, we came out well from the back - we knew that Bilbao would come out and press us." Barcelona remain the favourites in this season's Primera Liga campaign, they are 4/7 to win the title at Bet365 while Real Madrid are 2/1 and Atletico Madrid 7/1.