Xavi Hernandez lashes out at the referee after Ronald Araujo’s card in Barcelona’s 4-1 loss to PSG in the Champions League. (1h00)
Ilkay Gündogan lamented individual errors in Barcelona’s elimination from the Champions League on Tuesday, saying the Spanish champions had given Paris Saint-Germain the game “in the simplest way”.
Barca led 3-2 in the first leg in Paris and took credit for two goals in the equaliser when Raphinha gave them the lead in the 12th minute at the Stadio Olimpico.
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However, the game was turned upside down after half an hour when Ronald Araújo was sent off for a last-man challenge against Bradley Barcola, and PSG came from behind to win 4-1 that night, advancing 6-4 on aggregate to settle down. a semi-final against Borussia Dortmund.
“I’m very disappointed because we were in a very smart position, not only after the first leg, but also after scoring the first goal,” Gündogan told CBS. “Everything was in our hands and we gave it in the simplest way possible. I gave it to PSG and that’s the most disappointing part. “
Barca coach Xavi Hernandez, furious at the decision to remove Araujo from the red card, called the referee’s performance a “disaster” and said he had completely replaced play.
Gündogan said that the resolution decided us on the final result of the match, but did not criticize the resolution on the field.
“If he committed a foul, I guess it will be a red card,” added the German foreigner. “I haven’t noticed the repetition. It’s hard to say, in those moments you have to make sure you get the ball back.
“If you don’t understand it, and I don’t know if he did, you have to stay away. I would concede a goal there or leave the striker in one-on-one, even if he played the ball far enough forward. , so I don’t know if he would be successful with the ball, but it would give the goalkeeper a chance to save us or even concede a goal.
“Getting a card, knocking down a player so soon, it’s game over. “
Ousmane Dembele drew on his return to Barcelona after joining PSG for 50 million euros ($53 million) last summer, and Vitinha then gave the French champions the lead with a shot from the edge of the box after failing to score from a corner.
“One more mistake,” Gündogan added. We have to faint and not let him shoot. It’s so free.
“It’s not something we haven’t trained, the closest man has to come out. Somebody’s got to get out. No one did, or they did it too late. Again, it’s not mandatory at all. “
Kylian Mbappe scored PSG’s third goal from the penalty spot and then sealed Luis Enrique’s side’s passage to the semi-finals in the 89th minute after Gündoğan hit the post and dismissed a penalty appeal.
“Decisive actions and conditions either praise you or punish you,” Gündogan said. “Unfortunately, tonight we were punished. “