Barcelona kickstarted their 2023/24 La Liga campaign with a Ԁιȿɑρρօιɴτιɴɢgoalless draw with Getafeat the Coliseum Alfonso Perez.
Needless to say, the game was full of controversy, withBarçacoach Xavi strongly calling out the referees after the match.
“The match was violent because the referee allowed them to foul us. For us they call everything, but they allow them to do anything they want. We’re selling La Liga as a product but this is what we have,”Xavi said in the post-match presser.
TheBarcelonacoach’s comments are hardly surprising as Getafe committed 20 fouls in the game.
“The referee sent me off for telling him that there were too many fouls. They allow them to foul way too much,”he added.”This is a complete shame. We need effective time in football. We’re making a fool of ourselves.”
“The other day, in the meeting with the referees, they told us that they will try to protect us as managers. But no, they’re doing exactly the opposite of what they said they would do,”he further said.
Talking about Raphinha’s second yellow card, which got him dismissed, Xavi said,”Raphinha was wrong, but he acted like that because so many things were happening and the referee was not calling the fouls. The referee was not in control of the match at all.”
The winger was sent off by the referee just before half-time after he elbowed one of the Getafe defєɴԀers out of fɾυȿτɾɑtion.
Xavi, though, once again lambasted the referees for another incident revolving around Gavi and a handball call from VAR.
“Gavi’s handball call is invented. The referee cost us the game, he has to explain himself,”he said.”There’s no handball from Gavi. They told us that they were only going to call out very clear handballs. I don’t understand. It’s a joke.”
Gavi’s handball call came during one of Barcelona’s attacking єɴԀeavours when the attacker was fouled by a Getafe defєɴԀer.
Barça promptly asked for a penalty but VAR denied it. The technology, instead, flagged Gavi for a handball, even though the youngster had not even touched the ball.
fɾυȿτɾɑted with this mishap, Xavi went on to call La Liga a failed product.”If we sell La Liga as the product we saw today, we’re failing. It’s not positive,”he said.”I would tell Javier Tebas that his product is a shame.”
“It’s normal if people get bored or don’t want to watch football. What we saw today wasn’t football, it was a complete shame. This product is a shame and people do not want to consume it,”he added.
TheBarcelonacoach was asked about his approach in terms of team selection in the defensive department as well, with Ronald Araujo operating on the right.
“With Araujo and Koundé, we all agreed that it was better for Araujo to play on the right. We discussed it with them and they feel comfortable. However, in reality, it’s a three-man backline,”he responded.
Finally, Xavi hailed his players and the team for putting in a valiant effort, adding,”I’m proud of my team.”
