"I am outraged. We do not understand anything."
This is how Xavi Hernández
started
his press conference at the San Siro after the heavy defeat conceded by Barcelona at the Giuseppe Meazza against Inter.
A fall that forces Barcelona not to lose next week against the Italians if they do not want to be condemned to the Europa League again.
The Barça coach showed his bitterness both for a
Pedri
goal annulled by
Ansu Fati
's prior handball (he jumped without looking, but the ball hit him where it shouldn't have), and for a penalty by Dumfries' handball in the 91st minute of which the referee, the Slovakian
Slavko Vincic
, disregarded.
Nor did he go to review the action to the VAR monitor, led by the Dutchman
Pol van Boekel.
This referee was already responsible for video arbitration the night Barça lost in Munich and claimed a penalty from
Dembélé
.
"They first explained to us that if there is a hand, as in the case of Ansu, but another teammate scores, it is legal. It is a manual play, but they cancel it. And the other action is not understood. The referee would have to come out to explain, I would humanize it. I am outraged. The word is outrage. There is no other. You feel..."
Xavi, then, stopped, and continued: "It's an injustice."
During the game, the match referee had already given Xavi a yellow card, who couldn't hold back on the sideline given what was happening.
Also
Dembélé
, so often silent, waved his arms looking at the stands.
However, beyond the arbitration tumult, Xavi could not hide that the defeat of his team in Milan was also due to the
poor performance of his
team .
"It cost us the circulation, the rhythm... In the second half we opened up the field more and we tried in every way. It cost us much more in the first half. But we have to criticize ourselves beyond the referee's decisions".
Misplaced with the 3-4-3 in the first act, the azulgrana returned to relative normality with the 4-3-3 in the second.
But not with those.
There was no way to save the defensive approach of an Inter to which the skies are opening in the group, now three points above Barcelona.
"We have three finals left
.
Perhaps we deserved more, but our reality is this.
And they have to be real finals, presenting them with intensity and rhythm.
But today I can be outraged". And Xavi left the room with his head down.
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Xavi Hernandez
FC Barcelona