In a dramatic 3-3 draw with Inter Milan on Wednesday at Camp Nou, Robert Lewandowski scored two goals in injury time to keep Barcelona in the Champions League.
The Polish forward dragged Xavi Hernandez’s side level at 2-2 in the 82nd minute and then again at 3-3 in stoppage time with a towering header, after Robin Gosens put the Italians ahead with one minute remaining.
Barcelona’s Champions League fate is no longer in their own hands, as they face a second consecutive group stage elimination if Inter Milan defeats already eliminated Viktoria Plzen at home on October 26.
If Inter Milan defeat Viktoria Plzeň next matchday Barcelona will go down to the Europa League AGAIN 😲 pic.twitter.com/iEcBIpvC3R
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 12, 2022
For the Catalans, who had anticipated that a summer recruiting spree that included Lewandowski from Bayern Munich would help them regain their place among Europe’s elite, the prospect of another early knockout is a devastating disappointment.
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“They were our errors tonight, we had the game in our hands, we had it in Munich, we had it in Milan and we had it here today,” bemoaned Xavi.
“We’re depending on another team to go through. They are our mistakes, we have to improve them. That’s the reality. The (improvement) process is longer than we thought in Europe.
“There are other competitions, La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the Super Copa. We have to insist, persist, believe.”
“They didn’t come out switched-on enough in the second half, that is a coaching error,” said Xavi.
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“When you draw at home with these fans, with this atmosphere, it is my fault. I am angry. My feeling is that this competition has been, and is still being, cruel with us.”
There is little time for Barcelona to pick themselves up and dust themselves down. On Sunday, Real Madrid beckon at the Santiago Bernabeu in La Liga.
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