"We played a very good match" - Barcelona star claims they did not 'deserve' 4-2 loss to Girona
Barcelona midfielder Sergi Roberto has claimed that his side didn't deserve a 4-2 loss to Girona on Saturday, May 4. The Blaugrana's failure to overcome the Gironistes has handed Real Madrid their 36th LaLiga title.
Girona continued their dream run this season with a commanding victory over the defending champions. Barcelona broke the deadlock in the third minute through Andreas Christensen. However, Girona equalized within a minute through Artem Dovbyk.
The Catalans took the lead again on the stroke of half-time through former Bayern Munich talisman Robert Lewandowski. However, a brace from Portu (65', 74') and a goal from Miguel Gutierrez in the 67th minute allowed Girona to claim the second spot on the LaLiga table.
Speaking about the team's performance after the defeat, Roberto said (via Managing Barca):
"We didn't deserve this result. We played a very good match."
The defeat comes on the back recent reports that Xavi will stay on as coach of Barcelona beyond this summer.
Barcelona also crashed out of the Champions League
The Blugrana would've hoped to make more out of the current season following their title win last year, which was their first since 2019.
However, the Spanish giants bid farewell to several club legends, including Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. Since his arrival at the club in November 2021, Xavi has relied on the services of youngsters, especially in the midfield.
With all said and done, Barcelona have had a disappointing season. They were eliminated from the Champions League in the quarterfinals by PSG, a title that has eluded them since 2015. Xavi's men lost 4-1 to PSG in the second leg despite winning the first leg 3-2.
Thie great rivals Real Madrid, meanwhile, have continued their dominance both domestically and in Europe. They eliminated defending champions Manchester City from the Champions League in the quarter-finals and drew 2-2 with Bayern Munich in the first leg of the semi-final.
With the LaLiga title already in their trophy cabinet, Los Blancos will turn all their attention to the second leg that takes place on May 8 (Wednesday).
As for the Catalan saide, they will have to go back to the drawing board. Xavi's contract runs till 2025 and he'll be expected to deliver the goods next season.