Barcelona’s Ilkay Gundogan: ’We destroyed ourselves’ in Champions League exit to PSG
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Ilkay Gundogan believes Barcelona ”destroyed” themselves in their Champions League quarter-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain. The Catalans were one goal up from the reverse fixture and doubled their advantage through Raphinha on Tuesday. But a red card for Ronald Araujo swung the tide as Cheap PSG soccer jerseys made an improbable comeback to win 4-1 on the night.
Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gundogan believes he should have been awarded a second-half penalty against Paris Saint-Germain, but admits his team self-destructed in their Champions League quarter-final tie.
The Catalans were one goal up from the reverse fixture, winning 3-2 in the French capital last week thanks to a double from Raphinha and winner from Andreas Christensen.
They doubled their advantage early on Tuesday evening, again through Raphinha, who prodded in from a near-post run after strong work from teenage sensation Lamine Yamal down the right flank.
But the tide quickly swung. While up 4-2 on aggregate, defender Ronald Araujo was deemed to be the last man as he brought down Bradley Barcola while running through on goal, so was shown a straight red card.
It allowed PSG to make their own version of ’la remontada’ – the seemingly-impossible comeback Barcelona football shirt made on home soil against PSG in 2016/17, when they overturned a 4-0 deficit to win 6-5.
This one was not quite as dramatic, but PSG ran out 4-1 winners on the night all told, and 6-4 on aggregate. Ex-Barcelona man Dembele, to a chorus of boos, got the ball rolling by haunting his former club once again.
Vitinha’s superb long-range effort made the tie all level, before a Kylian Mbappe brace – the first a penalty, the second converting after some penalty-box pinball. He becomes the first player in Europe’s top five leagues to hit 40 goals this season.
Reflecting on his side’s exit, Gundogan was not happy with either his teammates or the referee, who denied the Germany international a penalty after a challenge from Marquinhos in the second half.
The 33-year-old told TNT Sports: ”Very frustrated. Very disappointed. It really felt like that we had full control of the game. Started with a one-goal lead, and then after 10-15 it just felt like we destroyed ourselves.
”Yeah, [the red card changed the game]. This is the Champions League. No matter who the opponent is, in such a tie, such an important game, going one man down so early… it’s impossible, then you are out, unfortunately.
”Actually, I could talk to [the referee], to be honest. At half-time, he didn’t have such a bad attitude. I haven’t seen any of the crucial actions on the replay, but it felt like he was very quick on the yellow cards for us.
”In the second half, I think I should get a penalty. He clearly kicks me with his leg – if not, I can continue running. If he doesn’t kick me, I don’t fall. For me, that’s a penalty. That’s what I told him, to at least have a check, and he gave me a yellow card. I don’t know how it looks on TV – maybe my impression is wrong.”
Gundogan is now set to end his first campaign with Barcelona women’s soccer shirt trophyless, after winning the treble with Manchester City last time around. As well as being out of the Champions League and failing to lift the Copa del Rey, the Catalan giants are eight points off leaders Real Madrid in La Liga.
On a personal level, the former Borussia Dortmund man has had a rollercoaster record in European quarter-finals. Prior to Tuesday evening, he had won three on the bounce, but before that had lost five straight.
