BARCELONA, 31 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The trainer of the FC Barcelona, Xavi Hernández, ensured that the “fault” of the tie against the RCD Espanyol in the Camp Nou (1-1) is of the team and not of the referee, Mateu Lahoz, although it recognized that to the collegiate it went him the match of hands and that he told him so at the end of the clash.
“The tie is our fault. We can talk about the referee and many things but the tie is our fault, we have not sentenced the game. Espanyol reached the last minutes to be able to tie, and that’s how it was. In such a close score of 1-0, this can happen,” he acknowledged at a press conference.
For Xavi, in this type of match “you have to decide”. “We’ve seen it many times and it’s our fault. We haven’t come out with the right intensity, today we lose two points. It was important to finish the year in the best way, we’re still leaders tied with Madrid but we lose 2 very important points and it’s our fault “, he reiterated.
“From minute 30 on we slowed down, the intensity. But watching the game, my feeling is that we had to win the game. Espanyol defended themselves, had the penalty and a chance from Nico. We have had many very clear chances to make it 2-0. But it’s like that, a very watched movie that happens and it’s our fault”, he returned to the charge.
For this reason, he admitted that he was angry. “Of course we are angry, everyone. You leave angry because you think it has been unfair. But playing better than the opponent, you don’t win. This is what football has. Today we missed 2 points and I get angry with myself the first, and the players get angry with them”, he argued.
As for the Valencian referee Mateu Lahoz, Xavi was blunt: “Mateu lost control of the game today.” “I have told him at the end that he normally controls the games and today he has gone, with so many cards. Today the game has gotten completely out of control, yes,” he charged.
“He told me that he’s glad to see me, just like that. He’s a referee who gives the feeling that he dominates and has control of the game and speaks to you, today it wasn’t more. But I don’t blame him for anything. The tie is our fault I can’t control the referee, who would have to go out to speak. But me, what am I going to say?”, he wondered. “In the end, you end up protesting because you see injustices but that’s football and sport,” added the Blaugrana coach.