Barcelona saw their dreams of the Champions League disintegrate in heartbreaking fashion in Milan. Having mounted an impressive comeback to go 3-2 ahead at the Giuseppe Meazza, Inter scored twice after the 90th minute to send the Blaugrana back to the Catalan capital empty-handed.
Much of the conversation in Spain after the match was about the officiating, with no fewer than four Barcelona players upset with Szymon Marciniak. Hansi Flick was also baffled by some of his decisions, but noted that he was proud of his team, and said that his side would be ‘fine by Thursday’.
They'll be back. ❤️
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) May 6, 2025
Left-back Gerard Martin was seen in floods of tears after the final whistle, and the waterworks were in action for both Fermin Lopez and Raphinha too. However perhaps the image of their sadness was Frenkie de Jong, as he spoke to CBS Sports.
“It’s just disappointment, a bit of an empty feeling. Just that.”
“I think we made a good comeback, like we have done many times this season. Then to concede like two minutes from time, like they did, and then they score again in extra time. It’s difficult to take.”
Show me pain communicated through a tone of voice.
— Football España (@footballespana_) May 7, 2025
De Jong was also asked about Flick’s half-time team talk, and noted that the German manager made little in the way of changes.
“We just had to keep playing the way we played. I think in the first half also, we played well. Maybe we didn’t score, but we played better than them. They are also very good at what they do. All the credit to them also. We just had to keep playing the way we did. We did that, we came back, we got in front, and then to concede in the last minute of added time, I don’t know if it was the last minute, but it feels really bitter.”
The Dutchman also confirmed that he would not be watching the game back, nor would be dreaming about it either.
“No, in general, I don’t watch the whole game back. Only my moments, and sometimes the highlights. But I think it will be too difficult.”
“I think I will not dream about this game anymore. Maybe about the future. It’s just difficult to take.”
