Barcelona weren't hard done by in Atletico match, says Mikel

Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has levied criticism at Barcelona in the wake of their UEFA Champions League elimination at the hands of Atlético Madrid, asserting that the Spanish side has only itself to blame for the defeat, rather than any refereeing decisions.

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Barcelona's elimination came despite their 2-1 win in the second leg on Tuesday night, which was not enough to overcome Atlético's 2-0 victory in the first leg, resulting in a 3-2 aggregate win for the Spanish giants.

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The second leg saw Barcelona initially take control, only for Atlético to mount a comeback and secure their qualification, with Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman playing a pivotal role by scoring a crucial goal.

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Post-match discussions focused on refereeing decisions, with Barcelona expressing frustration over perceived inconsistencies in disciplinary decisions across both legs of the tie.

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Reacting to these complaints, Mikel Obi offered a candid assessment, attributing Barcelona's exit to a lack of efficiency rather than any officiating errors.

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Mikel stated, "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," in an interview with Mundo Deportivo.

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He further emphasized, "That wasn’t a robbery — it was you exposing yourselves by having all the possession and zero killer instinct to show it," highlighting Barcelona's inability to capitalize on their possession.

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Mikel also questioned Barcelona's mentality in key moments, pointing out their inability to respond when the tie demanded character, while praising Atlético Madrid's resilience and crediting Lookman's decisive contribution.

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According to Mikel, "Atlético Madrid had it, Ademola Lookman stepped up and decided the match, while Barcelona players were busy complaining to the referee," underscoring the difference in approach between the two teams.

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He concluded, "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," emphasizing the need for Barcelona to take responsibility for their own performance.

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The defeat extends Barcelona's struggles in turning dominance into decisive results in Europe, as they once again fell short despite their possession and control.

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Meanwhile, Atlético progresses to the semi-finals, where they will face Arsenal in their bid for a first UEFA Champions League title, looking to build on their hard-fought victory over Barcelona.