FC Barcelona imploded after going down a man, especially in the second half. The entire situation came to a boiling point when Xavi Hernandez received a red card, and the Catalan side crashed out of the UEFA Champions League.
Xavi wasn’t the only player to receive a red card. Ronald Araújo was sent off after fouling Bradley Barcola midway through the first half, giving PSG a chance to turn the tide in their favor.
After playing against a ten-man Barcelona team, the Parisians scored four unanswered goals to advance past the Catalan side by an aggregate score of 6-4. Following their elimination from the Champions League, Xavi spoke to the media and went after the referee in the match.
“Angry because I feel that this play could make or break the match, with both teams on equal footing,” Xavi said postgame (h/t TUDN). “I think we’re in a good position overall – solid in attack, solid in defense. This play really tipped the scales for the entire match.
“There’s another leg of the game starting from that play, and in my opinion, giving a red card for that play is a bit excessive. It’s really disappointing that the outcome of the entire season comes down to one referee’s call. I would have preferred to play against Luis Enrique and Paris Saint Germain with a full team for the entire match.”
PSG are now off to the Champions League semifinal, where they’ll face Borussia Dortmund, whom they’ve already encountered in the group stage this season. Two games stand in the Parisians’ way of returning to another final.
