Barcelona fell to a 3-0 defeat to Bayern Munich at Camp Nou on Wednesday, with Sadio Mane, Eric Maxim Choupo-Mouting and Benjamin Pavard scoring the three goals.
Following their exit from the UEFA Champions League, Barcelona’s manager Xavi Hernandez has said that the Spanish giants can grow from these setbacks.
Barcelona fell to a 3-0 defeat to Bayern Munich at Camp Nou on Wednesday, with Sadio Mane, Eric Maxim Choupo-Mouting and Benjamin Pavard scoring the three goals for the Bavarians.
After Inter Milan won Viktoria Plzen, Barca knew ahead of their game with Bayern that defeat on Wednesday will see them knocked out of the Champions League, but they were still unable to lift themselves to the occasion.
Xavi thanks Barcelona supporters, says club can grow
Despite the defeat, many of the home supporters stayed until long after full time, demanding the players and the coach come back out onto the pitch to chant with them.
« Thanks to the supporters for their unconditional support, » Xavi said to Movistar after the 3-0 defeat. « They have shown it since I arrived and the atmosphere was extraordinary again tonight.
« Bayern were better, we can’t have any complaints. It is the reality for us now. We have to disconnect from the Champions League and focus on the other competitions. It is a blow, but I have already said that maybe we need these setbacks to grow.
« We were not at Bayern’s level today. They were better. In Munich we were ourselves, but today they were better, intense. The elimination before the game affected us psychologically. Now we train again tomorrow and think about La Liga.
« A little bit has everything has happened to us in the competition, all possible situations. The main thing has been our own mistakes, we have not been at the level we are capable of and made errors. »
Barcelona to focus on ‘other’ competitions, Xavi says
Despite having a game to play, Barcelona will drop to the Europa League where they could be joined by the likes of Ajax, Juventus, Sevilla and Atletico Madrid.
« There were a lot of expectations but we got a tough group, » Xavi added about Barcelona’s Group C. « All sorts of things have happened to us in the group stage. It’s been cruel on us, but we did not compete well today.
« I have said that we have to be united and tackle the situation head-on. We have been knocked out of the Champions League but the season does not end in October. There are other competitions. »
It will be the second season in a row the Blaugraunas will feature in the competition since the modern European club competition era and since the departure of Lionel Messi.
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