Barcelona boss Xavi says the referee was to blame for his side’s Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain.
The Catalans were dumped out of the competition after an eventful evening in Barcelona, that saw PSG leave Spain with a 4-1 win and a 6-2 aggregate victory.
Barcelona took the lead through Raphinha, putting the Spaniards 3-1 up on aggregate in the tie.
But Ronald Arajuo was sent off for bringing down Bradley Barcola in the first half, and PSG made their man advantage count with four uninterrupted goals.
Xavi and a member of his backroom staff were sent off for dissent, as the tie got away from the five-time winners.
And Xavi couldn’t hide his anger at the referee after the match, saying he was a ‘disaster’.
‘The referee was really bad. I told him his performance was a disaster,’ said Xavi.
‘I don’t like to talk about referees, but it had a clear impact in the season and it has to be said.
‘We are very upset and angry because the red card was the decisive factor in the match. With 11, we were in a good position, playing well and in command.
‘It’s too much to flash a red card in a game like this. There was another game after that… It is a pity that the work of the season was ruined by an unnecessary expulsion.’
Xavi announced his decision to step down in February and the club’s exit has ended the slim chances that he had of reversing that decision.
‘It is a shame that all the work of a season, because of a refereeing decision, finishes here,’ Xavi told CBS.
‘I would have liked to have played 11 v 11 against Luis Enrique and against PSG [for] all the minutes of the game. We know that there are sendings off in football but I believe that this one [for Araujo] was unnecessary.’
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