Barcelona president asks Xavi and the team to focus on El Clasico after PSG debacle

From a promising 4-2 scoreline in their favour against PSG, Barcelona’s night at Montjuic fell apart pretty rapidly before eventually spelling disaster.

It is safe to say that Barcelona were the better team for 120 of the 180 minutes they played against PSG, with the final sixty minutes going the Parisiens’ way owing to a single mistake from the Catalans.

The game left the Catalan side devastated, for they were left as hopeless spectators slowly watching a semifinal spot in the Champions League being snatched from their grasp.

President’s backing

As revealed by Mundo Deportivo in a recent report, Barcelona president Joan Laporta ensured that he was around to support and encourage his team after the harsh defeat on Tuesday night.

After a brief discussion with vice president Rafa Yuste and other administrators, Laporta was seen making his way to the dressing room where he encouraged the players and congratulated them for their competitive spirit despite the result.

The Barcelona president also spoke at length with Xavi Hernandez, who himself was expelled on the night for his behaviour on the sidelines.

The focus must now shift to El Clasico. (Photo by JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images)

The duo spoke on the sporting issue and also at length on their impressions of Ronald Araujo’s red card.

Laporta conveyed that the team’s focus should now be on the upcoming El Clasico, and rightly so. It remains to be seen how Xavi rallies up his troops after the painful defeat.

Barcelona face Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday night. A victory would ensure that they are alive in the La Liga title race while a defeat would put them 11 points behind the Merengues.

‘Robbery’ – gestures Araujo

It does not come as a surprise that a long part of Laporta’s conversation with Xavi revolved around Ronald Araujo’s sending-off, for it was the moment that changed the game.

A lot has been said about the referee’s decision, with some parties admitting that it was the right decision while others defend the Catalans’ defender.

Araujo, for his part, however, felt that the sanction was too steep for he was convinced that Bradley Barcola had dived in the area after his touch.

In fact, he was seen gesturing that the team had been robbed while walking off the field on the night, splaying his fingers and twisting his wrist.