Former Super Eagles captain, John Obi Mikel, has criticised FC Barcelona following their UEFA Champions League exit, insisting they were not victims of poor officiating.
Barcelona were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League despite a 2-1 win in the second leg on Tuesday, as Atlético Madrid advanced 3-2 on aggregate after winning the first leg 2-0.
The second leg saw Barcelona dominate possession early, but Atlético mounted a strong response to secure qualification.
Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman played a decisive role, scoring a crucial goal to help his side progress under manager Diego Simeone.
Mikel’s verdict
Reacting to post-match complaints from Barcelona over refereeing decisions, Mr Mikel dismissed claims of unfair officiating.
“A lot of FC Barcelona fans won’t like what I’m about to say, but it’s the truth. You dominated the ball the entire game just to do absolutely nothing with it, and then you shout ‘robbery’ when reality hits you,” he said.
“That wasn’t a robbery — it was you exposing yourselves by having all the possession and zero killer instinct to show it.”
Criticism of mentality
Mr Mikel further questioned Barcelona’s mentality in crucial moments, noting their inability to capitalise on dominance.
“They failed to come back on two occasions when they had the chance. Now they want to blame the referee for their style of play. That’s not how it works,” he added.
Praise for Atlético
He praised Atlético Madrid’s resilience and highlighted Mr Lookman’s match-winning contribution.
“Atlético Madrid had it. Ademola Lookman stepped up and decided the match, while Barcelona players were busy complaining to the referee,” Mr Mikel said.
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