Xavi: "I Feel a Sense of Utmost Injustice"
The Barcelona coach assessed the loss against Real Madrid in the Clásico as an injustice and asserted that his team played better than their rivals.
Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández lamented the defeat against Real Madrid, which practically seals the league title, and said that the feeling he leaves Santiago Bernabéu with is one of "utmost injustice," that "the victory slipped away due to adverse circumstances" and that the referee "neither went unnoticed nor made the right decisions."
Barcelona, which took the lead twice, ended up losing at Santiago Bernabéu to Real Madrid with a goal from Jude Bellingham in the 90th minute.
"We should be proud of how we competed because we played good football in the second half. We dominated, had good chances, but we lost. It's a shame," said Xavi in a press conference.
"I think everyone saw what happened. I can only analyze the game we played, where we were better than Real Madrid. We should be proud of how we played, even though the final goal was our mistake because we should have stopped the transition. I'm proud of the team, but it's a heavy loss," he admitted.
Xavi emphasized that his feeling is one of "utmost injustice." "The match was not fair. I can't fool anyone, especially not the fans. Everyone saw it," confessed the Barcelona coach, who commented on the performance of referee César Soto Grado. "The referee had an impact. I said in advance that I hoped he would go unnoticed and make the right calls. Neither of those things happened. It's a shame," he stated.
Real Madrid's victory propels them to an 11-point lead over Barcelona. "We still have the goal of continuing to fight and finishing second. The feeling is one of contradiction; I think with the game we played, we should have won, but there are adverse circumstances and other factors beyond our control," he noted.
"We competed very well. I think we deserved all three points. Normally, we would have won, but they slipped away due to adverse circumstances. The league isn't over yet; there are six matches left. It's true that the league title is either lost or very difficult. From now on, the goal is to finish second and qualify for the Super Cup," he said.
"If they win the league, we must congratulate Real Madrid. They've had an extraordinary season. They've practically clinched the league title, but my feeling is one of utmost injustice," Xavi pointed out. He also criticized the absence of goal-line technology in Spanish football, a sentiment echoed by his goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen. "I completely agree with him. It's the reality. We shouldn't stay silent; it's shameful. If we want to be the best league in the world, we need to progress," he stated.
Regarding his future, which seems distant from Barcelona given his announcement a few months ago about leaving in the summer, Xavi didn't want to comment. "Now isn't the time for that. What comes next will be difficult. We need to focus on working, on the next match, and keep going. There are six matches left, and anything can happen," he concluded.
