Football

‘It is an injustice- Barcelona Coach Xavi was left fuming over referees’ decisions against Inter Milan

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez was fuming because he believed that his side ended up on the wrong side of two handball decisions, which did not go in their favour. They lost the game 1-0 in a UEFA Champion’s League defeat to Inter Milan.

There was only one goal scored in the game and that was by Hakan Calhanoglu in the first half just before stoppage time. The match came to a close on a sour note as Barca were not given an equalizer ruled out for handball before they were not awarded a late penalty when Denzel Dumfries appeared to handle the ball inside the area.

Barcelona will face Inter Milan again at Camp Nou next Wednesday

When it comes to the points table, Inter Milan and Barcelona are in the second and third position respectively with Inter ahead of Barca by three points in Group C. The reverse fixture will be played on the 13th of October which will take place at Barca’s home ground at Camp Nou.

“I am angry and indignant about what we have seen, it is an injustice,” Xavi fumed in a press conference after the game at the San Siro. “I said it on Monday, and I have to say it again0. The referees have to come out and explain themselves because I don’t understand anything. [The referee] didn’t want to give me an explanation after the game. Referees have to speak; I can’t speak about a decision I have not made. For me, [the decisions were] crystal clear. I don’t understand it at all.”

Pedri’s 66th-minute would-be equalizer was ruled out because of a handball by Ansu Fati. things went bad to worse for Barca as in stoppage time when a possible handball by Dumfries, which took the ball away from Ansu in the box, was not given as a penalty. The play was then reviewed by VAR, but the referee did not get called to the pitch side monitor, as he had done when cancelling Pedri’s goal.

“We also have to be self-critical, beyond the refereeing decisions,” Xavi Hernandez  said. “We have to play better, although we still deserved at least a draw.