Summary: Barcelona was eliminated from the cup after a 4:2 loss at Bilbao/Sport1
Barcelona sank to a new low this evening (Saturday), when they lost at home 5:3 to Villarreal, in what may have been Xavi's last game in office.
After the elimination from the cup, the champions still managed to come back from 2:0 to 2:3, but conceded twice in extra time and therefore the gap from the leader Real Madrid stands at no less than 10 points, after 21 rounds.
The largest gap that has shrunk in the championship race this late in the season was 8 points - no team has yet managed to close 10 points after the 21st round.
It was the first time Barcelona conceded five goals or more in an official match since that humiliating 8:2 against Bayern Munich, and the first time they conceded five in the league since the 5:4 against Levante in 2018.
The last time she conceded five at home in the league?
You have to go back to 1963, when they beat Real Madrid 5:1.
"A complete disaster for Barcelona", read the main headline in "AS";
"Barcelona collapsed in a crazy game", they added in "Marca".
And there was also a controversial moment, when Barcelona received a penalty one minute into added time, in a 3:3 situation, but a VAR check led to its cancellation.
"Shame, it's a shame", Xavi turned to the camera and said - not knowing that in a few minutes, the shame is going to be much bigger - and will not be related to the referee.
"I'm going to be punished, but it was a penalty and even the fourth referee told me it was a penalty," said the coach at the end.
"We made mistakes, but this penalty decided the game. We are all guilty, but the responsibility is mine. It will be very difficult to win the championship. We lacked maturity, we had to commit a foul to stop the 3:3, our problems start when we lose the ball ".
in trouble
Xavi/GettyImages, Alex Caparros
What will?
Araujo/GettyImages, Alex Caparros
Frankie de Jong insisted and said: "We trust the coach and the team fully, they are doing a good job. It's our fault, the players, if it doesn't work then it's our fault. We have to improve, because it can't happen in a top team. If you come back from 2:0, you can't allow such explosive attacks. It happens to us too much."
Joao Cancelo also took responsibility: "My performance today was a disaster. Tomorrow I will give everything in training to be at my best on Wednesday."
Ronald Araujo said: "We all have to be with Xavi. We are trying to improve in defense and be like last season, these are exactly the same players."
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