Xavi was not satisfied with the referee’s decisions in the loss to PSG in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals

Barcelona appeared to be in control in Spain with a two-goal aggregate lead, but the situation quickly turned chaotic. The referee’s performance was deemed a disaster, Barcelona’s players panicked, and an unnecessary expulsion added to the turmoil. Paris St-Germain emerged as 4-1 winners in a dramatic Tuesday evening at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.

The turning point came when Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo was sent off, shifting the tide in PSG’s favor. Despite being 3-2 down in the first leg, PSG managed to win the tie 6-4 on aggregate. Kylian Mbappe scored twice, Vitinha netted a long-range strike, and Ousmane Dembele scored against his former club, sending Barcelona spiraling out of control and out of the competition.

Barcelona’s performance was marred by numerous mistakes, and referee Istvan Kovacs had a busy evening. The Romanian showed three red cards to the hosts, with manager Xavi’s frustrations getting the better of him and a member of his coaching staff being dismissed for dissent. Araujo’s challenge on Bradley Barcola early in the first half further compounded the damage caused by his red card.

Xavi expressed his dissatisfaction with the referee’s performance, stating, “The referee was really bad. I told him his performance was a disaster. I don’t like to talk about referees, but it had a clear impact on the season, and it has to be said.”

The early dismissal of Araujo allowed PSG to gain momentum, leading to a flurry of goals and Barcelona’s collapse. Joao Cancelo’s unnecessary foul on Dembele in the box resulted in a penalty, which Mbappe converted for his first goal.

Former Barcelona striker Thierry Henry emphasized the importance of avoiding mistakes in the Champions League, stating, “If you make mistakes, you pay the price straight away, and that’s why it is so hard to win.”