April 17th 2024.
Xavi was absolutely livid with the officials during Barcelona's Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain. As the boss of the team, he couldn't help but express his frustration at the referee for playing a major role in their unfortunate exit from the competition.
It was a tense and eventful evening at the Camp Nou, with PSG ultimately emerging as the victors with a 4-1 win and a 6-2 aggregate score. The Spaniards had taken an early lead through Raphinha, putting them in a promising position to advance. However, things took a turn for the worse when Ronald Arajuo was given a red card for a foul on Bradley Barcola in the first half. This gave PSG a man advantage, which they fully capitalized on with four consecutive goals.
To make matters worse, Xavi and one of his staff members were also sent off for dissent, as their emotions got the better of them. Xavi couldn't contain his anger towards the referee after the match, calling his performance a "disaster." He acknowledged that he usually avoids talking about referees, but in this case, it was impossible not to address the clear impact it had on their season.
"It's too much to flash a red card in a game like this," Xavi stated. "We were in a good position with 11 players, playing well and in control. It's a pity that an unnecessary expulsion ruined all the hard work we put in throughout the season."
Xavi made the difficult decision to step down as Barcelona's boss in February, but their exit from the Champions League has effectively ended any slim chances he had of reversing that decision. He expressed his disappointment with the outcome, saying, "It's a shame that all our hard work this season was brought to an end because of a refereeing decision."
He also shared that he would have loved to face PSG and former teammate turned coach Luis Enrique with a full team, playing 11 vs. 11 for the entire game. While he understands that red cards are a part of football, he believes that Arajuo's red card was unnecessary and could have been avoided.
In the end, Xavi's strong words towards the referee and the outcome of the match were a reflection of his deep disappointment and frustration. It was a tough pill to swallow for the five-time Champions League winners, but they will have to regroup and come back stronger next season.
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