Spain Under-21s boss Albert Celades has confessed that his side fell short of their high standards in Friday's U21 Euro 2017 final defeat to Germany.
La Rojita were the big favourites heading into the clash in Krakow after netting 12 times and conceding just twice in their four previous tournament fixtures.
It was not to be for four-time winners Spain, however, as Mitchell Weiser found the net with a looping header 40 minutes in to earn Germany a 1-0 victory at the Jozef Pilsudski Stadium.
Celades had no complaints at full time, telling reporters: "We knew Germany's strengths, we'd seen a lot of them. But every game is different. In the first half they made us suffer, we weren't comfortable out there, we didn't like what was happening, we tried to turn things around but it wasn't to be.
"You learn from everything, you can draw positive and negative conclusions, but I am proud of the players for all they have done, the brilliant tournament they have had. But it is hard to lose a final, it takes a lot to get there.
"We're sad as you'd understand after losing a final. We were up against a great opponent who outplayed us in the first half."
Italy remain the competition's outright most-successful team, having lifted the trophy on five separate occasions.
Daniel Lewis
Spain U21s
