This is for Van Persie and Chelsea — Fans remind Xavi after Araujo's red card saw Barcelona lose to PSG

Arsenal and Chelsea fans mock Barcelona after PSG knocked them out of the Champions League following Araujo's red card.

Maybe it’s Karma, but for many non-Barcelona fans, especially the Chelsea and Arsenal leaning, it definitely is, reckoning for the injustice suffered in UEFA competitions to the benefit of the Catalan giants. 

Barcelona were knocked out of the Champions League by PSG last night, but at some point in the tie, they had a 4-2 aggregate lead and were in cruise control. However, all hell went loose when Ronald Araujo was shown red midway through the first-half for a last-man tackle on Bradley Barcola. 

This was the canon event in the clash, as PSG fully capitalised, scoring three times after the sending-off to win 4-1 on the night and 6-4 on aggregate. The Barcelona boss, Xavi Hernandez, was livid during and after the match. He was shown red after damaging UEFA property in anger; also, in the post-match presser, he tongue-lashed the referee for ‘ruining’ the game.

What Xavi said

As Pulse Sports reported, Xavi, head coach of Barcelona, directly blamed referee Istvan Kovacs for the club's Champions League exit, emphasising that the red card shown to Ronald Araújo was unjust.

The dismissal of Ronald Araújo due to a last-man challenge ignited a flurry of controversies, as Xavi believed it unfairly shifted the balance of the game in PSG's favour. Xavi expressed his frustration post-match, stating, "I told the referee that he was very poor. It was a disaster," he said, per GFNS.

"The red card ruined the match. I don’t like to talk about referees, but we have to say it. We can’t be silent." Xavi highlighted the significance of fairness in the game, emphasising his desire for an 11 vs. 11 encounter.

‘This is for Van Persie’ — Fans react 

Fans of Arsenal and Chelsea, remembering instances in the past where they were knocked out by a Barcelona team aided by controversial refereeing decisions, ensured to remind Xavi and other Cules. 

During Barcelona’s journey to winning the Champions League in 2011, they faced Arsenal in the Round of 16. The Gunners won the first-leg 2-1 at the Emirates, and while the scoreline was a balanced 1-1 in the second leg, Robin Van Persie was shown a second yellow for kicking the ball towards the goal after the referee had blown for play to be halted. This decision infuriated many Arsenal fans, especially as Barcelona fully capitalised, winning 3-1 on the night and 4-3 on aggregate. 

Fans on the North London side are yet to forgive or forget. Alongside, fans of Chelsea, who were infamously knocked out of the Champions League two years earlier following a spate of horrific refereeing decisions by Tom Henning Ovrebo, came together to kick Barcelona while they were down, reminding them of those instances.

“Xavi should keep shut. He was in Stamford Bridge in 2009 when referee committed atrocity in football.He was happy because it favoured him.He was in Barca when Van Persie was fraudulently red-carded at camp nou. He saw nothing wrong. Barca is just starting to feel the pain of loss,” One fan said.

“Good for them , remember the match against Chelsea, call it nemesis,” A second fan chimed in. “They are paying for what they did to Arsenal in 2006 and 2011,” A third added.

“What goes around turns arounds when they give Arsenal player for Bacer that in UCL ( Van Persie) when Arsenal is leading then you are happy and it as comes to your turn now ,,I don't want to hear any noise please One house',” A fourth added.

Related content