Ilkay Gündogan lamented individual mistakes as Barcelona crashed out of the Champions League on Tuesday, saying the Spanish champions gave the game to Paris Saint-Germain “in the most simple manner.”
Barça led 3-2 from the first leg in Paris and opened up a two-goal advantage in the tie when Raphinha gave them a 12th minute lead at the Olympic Stadium.
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However, the game swung after half an hour when Ronald Araújo was sent off for a last-man challenge on Bradley Barcola, with PSG coming back to win 4-1 on the night, advancing 6-4 on aggregate to set up a semifinal against 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.”
Barça coach Xavi Hernández was fuming with the decision to show a red card to Araujo, labelling the performance of the referee a “disaster” and saying it completely changed the game.
Gündogan said the decision did condition the outcome of the match but did not criticise the on-pitch ruling.
