Xavi’s dream of winning the UEFA Champions League trophy in his farewell season managing Barcelona was shattered last night as the team suffered a devastating 1-4 loss to Paris Saint-Germain.
Interestingly, the outcome holds significant weight for Xavi’s future at Barcelona. With La Liga seemingly slipping out of reach and earlier losses in the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup, the Champions League was the last hope for salvaging the season.
This means the defeat on the home turf against PSG feels like the final blow.
Right now, the club management faces the daunting task of convincing Xavi to reconsider his decision to step down and it is not just about offering reassurances anymore; decisive action is needed to sway his decision.
An exit on harsh decisions
It just wasn’t Barcelona’s night. Raphinha’s early goal had given them the lead, but by the stroke of the half-hour mark, lightning struck as Ronald Araujo was given his marching orders.
After the match ended, Xavi, still seething with emotion, descended to the pitch and swiftly approached the referee to express his dissatisfaction with a call made during the game.
Xavi was not happy with the referee. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
He clasped the referee’s hand firmly and took the opportunity to convey his belief that the decision was a disaster and the expression on the referee’s face conveyed the tension of the moment.
During the subsequent press conference, Xavi persisted in his critique of the referees, even bringing up incidents from the previous match.
“It doesn’t matter how much we talk, the fact is that the red card ruined the match. I don’t like to talk about referees but we have to say it. We can’t be silent,” said the manager.
“It’s a real shame. The referee ruined all of the work this season. I wanted to play 11 vs 11, fairly,” he added.
It is over for Xavi
Xavi is acutely aware that the season is almost over for him. While the hope of…
Source link : https://barcauniversal.com/xavis-departure-from-barcelona-as-good-as-done-after-psg-exit/
Author : Ash Reyna
Publish date : 2024-04-17 15:54:20
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