Xavi: “[The 3-3 draw with Inter] is a very hard blow, it was cruel.”

Xavi has acknowledged that Barcelona has made too many errors in the Champions League, not just in the draw against Inter at the Camp Nou.

The coach noted that the situation around the Champions League is already very challenging and convoluted, and he is now focused on quickly turning the page.

The hosts’ first goal came from Ousmane Dembele in the 40th minute, giving the Spanish team a 1-0 advantage at the break. However, the second half really got going when Nicolo Barella equalized the score in the 50th minute with a little help from a mistake by Gerard Pique.

In the 63rd minute, Lautaro Martinez gave the visitors their first advantage of the game with a strike that first hit both goal posts before reaching the line.

The advantage held by Inter would continue until Robert Lewandowski’s deflected goal in the 82nd minute.

Seven minutes later, Robin Gosens skillfully completed a counterattack to give the Italian team the lead once more.

In the final seconds of the second half, Robert Lewandowski equalized the score once more.

After a thrilling 3-3 draw on Tuesday at the Camp Nou with Inter, the tie is probably not enough for Barcelona to move on.

If Inter defeats Viktoria Plzen on the following Champions League matchday, they will advance at the cost of Barcelona regardless of how Barcelona performs against Bayern Munich.

Xavi spoke to the press after Inter Milan’s draw.

“This Champions League is being cruel to us”.

“We gave away a lot in the second half. The first half was excellent,” Xavi added.

“Their first goal was a clear mistake by the defensive line, the second one too”.

“The first goal’s mistake made us mentally fall apart, the second goal can’t happen at the elite level.”

“It’s been cruel since Munich, then Milan and today as well.”

“But it’s about winning, not conceding and defending well, not just attacking.”

“[Qualification to the knockout round] is not up to us. The situation is very difficult.

“If you cannot beat Inter at home, you don’t deserve to stay in the competition, even though we have a slim chance.”

“We have a little hope, but it’s difficult.”

“Football is a game of mistakes and you always have to minimise them,” Xavi admitted.

“We didn’t defend well. The intensity was excellent in the first half, but we didn’t keep it up.”

“Mistakes are costly in the Champions League. Mistakes in defence cost us the game.”

“We gave it our all, but these mistakes are costly. You can’t afford to be forgiving.”

Xavi was asked about their trip to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu to face Real Madrid in LaLiga.

Xavi said: “[The draw with Inter] is a very hard blow, it was cruel.”

“Now we have to think about Real Madrid, and the Clasico. We need to recover tomorrow and try to beat Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on Sunday.

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“There are other competitions left, we have to put the Champions League to one side and focus on LaLiga, where we want to stay at the top.”

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