Xavi Hernandez stated Barcelona felt like they had been “robbed in their own home” immediately after the Camp Nou was packed with Eintracht Frankfurt supporters in their Europa League defeat by the German side on Thursday.
Additional than 20,000 Frankfurt supporters managed to get tickets for the second leg, with a sea of white shirts in the stands producing a hostile environment for the Barca gamers.
Frankfurt took the direct in the fourth minute on their way to a 3- direct and when Barcelona pulled two plans again in harm-time they ended up not able to steer clear of shedding 4-3 on mixture.
“It can be not an excuse but the atmosphere influenced us. We had been not comfortable,” explained Xavi in a press convention on Sunday. “I experienced a negative sensation from as soon as we bought on the bus at the hotel and we did not experience at home.
“Then we gave a penalty away in the initial moment,” Xavi extra. “It was a nightmare evening in each sense, on and off the pitch. It begun badly and finished terribly. You come to feel robbed in your individual house.”
Barcelona formally allotted 5,000 tickets to Frankfurt supporters but extra than 30,000 tickets were acquired through unofficial channels.
The club’s president Joan Laporta explained he was “ashamed” by the selection of Frankfurt fans inside the ground and has insisted tickets will be non-transferable in upcoming.
One Barca lover group, La Grada d’Animacio, has claimed they will boycott the team’s La Liga video game on Monday at dwelling to Cadiz in protest.
“It was a slip-up by the club, for certain,” stated Xavi. “When the club finds out what brought about what occurred on Thursday, they will clarify it to us.”
The loss to Frankfurt was Barcelona’s to start with less than Xavi considering the fact that December and arrived just after a final-gasp 3-2 victory over struggling Levante in La Liga.
Barca sit 2nd in the table, 12 details behind Authentic Madrid with a sport in hand. They are only three factors forward of Serious Betis in fifth, whilst Betis have played two video games additional.
“The level has dropped, that is obvious,” Xavi said.
Questioned if his staff can continue to challenge Madrid for the title, Xavi reported: “If we will not acquire the 8 video games we have remaining, no. The 1st objective is to qualify for the Champions League next year. If right after that we can problem for La Liga, great.”
Pedri will overlook the sport versus Cadiz soon after injuring his hamstring versus Frankfurt.
“He was in his best sort of the period, it really is a setback for him and the crew,” Xavi claimed.
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