FC Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez has supplied a proof for why each Frenkie de Jong and Ousmane Dembele didn’t begin for Barca on Thursday.
La Blaugrana took on German powerhouse Eintracht Frankfurt within the first of two Europa League quarter-final clashes.
Barcelona headed into the sport as favourites, however Frankfurt put up a stable battle and prompted the away outfit all types of points on the again.
Frankfurt even went 1-0 up after 48 minutes due to a shocking effort from Ansgar Knauff:
ANSGAR KNAUFF WHAT A STRIKE!! 🤯
The ball drops to the winger on the sting of the field and he completely blasts it into the highest nook 💥
A stunner towards Barcelona! 🤩#UEL pic.twitter.com/y3t5CAx4an
— Soccer on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 7, 2022
The sport was, nevertheless, turned on its head when Xavi made the double substitution off De Jong and Dembele for Adama Traore and Gavi.
4 minutes after the pair got here on Barcelona scored the equaliser when De Jong arrange Ferran Torres, earlier than Frankfurt have been decreased to 10 males after 78 minutes.
So, given how a lot of a constructive influence Dembele and De Jong had off the bench, why did they not begin the sport?
Properly, as per Xavi: “We needed to relaxation Frenkie and Dembélé as a result of they have been drained.”
Xavi: “We needed to relaxation Frenkie and Dembélé as a result of they have been drained.” pic.twitter.com/sSnGTUmtiu
— Barça Common (@BarcaUniversal) April 7, 2022
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Levante vs Barcelona
Barcelona should now flip their attentions in direction of La Liga, the place they may face Levante on Sunday night.
The Catalonian powerhouse head into the sport sat 2nd in La Liga, 12 factors behind 1st-place Actual Madrid with one sport in hand.
And while the possibilities of Barca catching Actual now are slim to none, they may little question nonetheless desire a robust end to the 2021/22 marketing campaign.
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