Despite scoring 6 goals in the two legs of the UEFA Champions League semi-final tie, FC Barcelona were unable to get the better of Inter Milan and were eliminated from the competition last night.
The Blaugranes competed till the very end of the tie, which ended with a 7-6 win for Inter Milan on aggregate, and one could argue they were unlucky to be the losing side. This was definitely the view of Hansi Flick and some players, who clearly blamed the referee for their defeat.
Wojciech Szczesny avoids talking about the referee
However, as SPORT has reported, the goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny did not want to talk a lot about the referee’s decision as he spoke to the media after the end of the game.
The Polish goalkeeper was clear that talking about the referee is not worth it:
“I know that in the event of a loss people usually talk about the referee’s performance, but I don’t intend to cling to that. We shouldn’t make excuses. Things will be said, but it’s not worth going down that road.”
Commenting on the penalty awarded to Inter Milan in particular, the goalkeeper believed it was not a penalty:
“I was close and, honestly, I thought it wasn’t a penalty at all, but apparently it seems Pau didn’t touch the ball, so a penalty was given. It was a quick play and that’s how it was decided. There’s nothing more to say.”
Optimism for the future
Despite Barcelona’s elimination, the Pole had a lot to look forward to:
“We always play our football, and I think we deserved it. It’s a shame because we were so close and it slipped away. More than angry, I’m proud of these boys who are very young and just at the beginning of their careers. All of them have shown that they’ll surely win this trophy several times in the future. There’s sadness now, but it’s not the end of the world because they have a brilliant future ahead.”
Lastly, Szczesny now had his sights on the upcoming match against Real Madrid, which could decide the league campaign:
“I guess there’s no need to motivate anyone for the most important match of the season, the one that could decide the Spanish championship. I believe this team will recover mentally and physically enough to play at the highest level on Sunday, win El Clásico, and practically seal the title.”
There is no doubt that this is another crucial game awaiting the Catalans, and there is no better way to get their spirits back than to beat a rival to ensure they win another trophy. Thus, Hansi Flick and senior players like Wojciech Szczesny will have to play their part to ensure these players arrive in this upcoming game in the best of shape.
