Barcelona's elimination from the Champions League sparked frustration from coach Xavi Hernández, who criticized the referee's decision to send off Ronald Araújo, deeming it pivotal in their 4-1 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain. Despite a promising start and a two-goal lead in the tie, Araújo's red card altered the course of the game, prompting Xavi to label the officiating as a "disaster."
Araújo's dismissal shifted the momentum in favor of PSG, with goals from Ousmane Dembélé, Vitinha, and Kylian Mbappé securing their advancement to the semifinals. Xavi expressed disappointment over the impact of the red card, stating it overshadowed their season's efforts and lamenting missed opportunities to equalize despite João Cancelo's foul on Dembélé leading to a penalty for PSG.
Despite Barcelona's frustration, PSG coach Luis Enrique remained focused on his team's performance, crediting their resilience and faith in overturning deficits. Luis Enrique, who had a successful stint at Barcelona as both player and manager, emphasized the significance of making fans happy and looked forward to PSG's upcoming fixtures in Ligue 1 and the French Cup final.
With Barcelona facing a crucial El Clásico against Real Madrid, the defeat adds pressure on their title aspirations, while PSG aims to maintain their dominance in Ligue 1 and pursue further success in domestic competitions. Despite differing perspectives on the match, both coaches emphasized the emotional intensity of facing Barcelona and PSG's aspirations for continued success in the season.
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