Barcelona 'superior' despite aggregate defeat
Barcelona midfielder De Jong has offered a defiant assessment of his side's Champions League quarter-final exit at the hands of Atletico. Despite a 2-1 second-leg victory on the night, the Blaugrana were eliminated 3-2 on aggregate, but the Dutchman is adamant that the scoreline did not reflect the balance of play across the 180 minutes of the tie.
"We were superior, we dominated both games despite playing with a man down. I think luck wasn't on our side," De Jong said, per Marca.
De Jong pulls no punches over officiating
The core of De Jong's frustration centered on the performance of the match officials, specifically citing incidents from both the first and second legs. He pointed to a specific handball controversy involving Marc Pubill in the first leg as a turning point that shifted the momentum of the entire quarter-final tie in Atletico's favour.
"There were a couple of questionable calls today. In the first leg, the incident that defined the match is Pubill's, which should've been a red card and a penalty," De Jong added. His anger echoed the sentiments of teammate Raphinha, who claimed the game was "completely robbed" by referee Clement Turpin during the second-leg clash in Madrid.
Flick remains proud of youthful side
While the players focused on the refereeing, Barca boss Flick attempted to look at the bigger picture, praising the application of his young squad. Despite the disappointment, the German tactician believes the foundation is in place for a successful future in Catalonia.
"The mentality, the attitude the players show on the pitch, I am proud about that," Flick remarked after the final whistle. "We have to learn about the things we have to improve, but we have a young team and they can and will improve next season. I know it's disappointing for everyone; I am also disappointed. It's football, it's life. We have to come back."
Focus shifts to La Liga title race
With their European journey at an end, Barcelona must now ensure they do not let their season unravel. De Jong was quick to pivot towards the importance of domestic success, with the club currently holding a firm grip on the top spot in La Liga as the campaign enters its final stretch.
"It's very important. The best team wins. It's a very important title," De Jong said of the La Liga title race. "For the last two years we've been showing that we're a quality team, we win titles. It's a young team, but with a lot of quality, that competes for everything."