Ilkay Gündogan expressed disappointment over individual errors as Barcelona suffered a Champions League exit on Tuesday, describing the manner in which the Spanish champions surrendered to Paris Saint-Germain as “painfully straightforward.”
Having held a 3-2 lead from the first leg in Paris, Barcelona surged ahead in the tie when Raphinha netted in the 12th minute at the Olympic Stadium, securing a two-goal advantage.
However, the game took a dramatic turn after half an hour when Ronald Araújo received a red card for a last-man tackle on Bradley Barcola, leading to PSG’s comeback and a 4-1 victory on the night, advancing 6-4 on aggregate to set up a semifinal clash with Borussia Dortmund.
“I am very disappointed because we were in such a good position, not just after the first leg, but scoring the first goal as well,” Gündogan told CBS. “Everything was in our hands and we just gave it away in the most simple manner. We just gave it to PSG and that is the most disappointing part.”
Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández strongly criticized the decision to send off Araujo, labeling the referee’s performance a “disaster” and emphasizing its game-changing impact.
While acknowledging the influence of the referee’s decision on the match’s outcome, Gündogan refrained from condemning the on-field judgment.
Ousmane Dembélé, making his return to Barcelona after a €50 million ($53m) move to PSG last summer, leveled the score, followed by Vitinha’s goal from the edge of the box, taking the French champions into the lead after being left unattended at a corner.
Kylian Mbappé sealed PSG’s victory with a penalty in the 89th minute, following Gündoğan’s earlier strike against the post and an unsuccessful penalty appeal, securing Luis Enrique’s side’s spot in the final four.
