Xavi Hernandez believed that FC Barcelona’s defeat to Real Madrid was ‘undeserved’.
Xavi Hernandez felt that his FC Barcelona team suffered an undeserved defeat to Real Madrid, who beat them 2-1 in El Clasico on Saturday.
Barca went 1-0 ahead in the first half through an Ilkay Gundogan strike, but were then beaten through a second half double from the man of the hour Jude Bellingham.
Speaking to DAZN which broadcast the game in Spain, the Catalans’ head coach revealed that he thought his men “dominated the first sixty minutes, but when you don’t score [to make it] 2-0 football has these things”.
“We need five or six [chances] to score a goal and they score two or three goals with two or two and a half [chances],” Xavi lamented.
Xavi felt that Madrid were satisfied with Bellingham’s equalizer and happy to settle for a draw until an “unfortunate cross” from Dani Carvajal arrived for Bellingham to hit the winner through Marc-Andre Ter Stegen’s legs.
A “very bad result” left a bitter taste in his mouth, but he still thought it was a good game which is men didn’t deserve to lose.
Barca planned the game very well in his opinion, yet he conceded that Madrid made his men suffer in the last few minutes.
“Honestly I think we were superior,” Xavi said. “But Madrid, if you forgive them, have these things [to win matches].”
“In the dressing room they talk about a penalty, but today we didn’t lose because of the referee [and instead] because we didn’t convert the chances and we took an undeserved defeat,” he concluded on the result itself.
Probed on an exchange with Vinicius Jr., Xavi wanted to play down any potential controversy.
The manager clarified that he had only told the Brazilian that he didn’t agree with a foul on one call from the referee, but did this “with respect” as always.
“I admire and respect him as a footballer,” the former midfielder stated.
Now in third place while four points behind Madrid and second-placed Girona, Barca will attempt to get back to winning ways when they travel to the Basque region for a Saturday night showdown with Real Sociedad.