Xavi Hernandez outraged at refereeing ‘injustice’ in Inter defeat

• Xavi Hernandez says he is “outraged” by refereeing decisions in Barca’s 1-0 loss to Inter Milan.
• Barcelona were denied a stoppage-time penalty and had a goal disallowed for handballs.
• Xavi believes referees should speak to the press following matches like managers do after losses.

Tuesday’s 1-0 Champions League loss to Inter Milan was the result of what Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez deemed to be egregious refereeing errors, according to his angry comments.

Barca are in third place in Group C, six points behind group leaders Bayern Munich, after suffering their second loss in the competition due to two crucial handball calls that went against them.

Following a pitch review by referee Slavko Vincic for Ansu Fati’s handball immediately before the ball fell to Pedri, their second-half equalizer was ruled out.

And Barca were denied a stoppage-time penalty after VAR officials determined that Denzel Dumfries did not commit a handball offense, despite touching the ball in a manner remarkably similar to Fati.

“If you ask me I’m outraged… the word is an outrage because it makes no sense, it’s an injustice,” Xavi told reporters.

“I think it’s an injustice, I just can’t hide it.”

Xavi emphasized that referees should explain their decisions to the press following matches, just like managers must make following losses.

“I think the referee should explain himself. He should come here and explain, but he has just gone home,” he continued.

“I think that they should speak. It would be important that they spoke to explain their decisions as we do. I think it’s fundamental.”

Simone Inzaghi stated that he did not notice the occurrences that so incensed Xavi, with the exception of Fati’s handball, and that he was instead focused on Inter’s triumph, which puts the club’s season back on track after a string of poor results.

“We were concentrated, and we conceded very little,” said Inzaghi, whose job had been up for discussion recently as Inter sits ninth in Serie A.

“It gives us great confidence beating a team of this quality. We really needed it… I was feeling OK because, on Saturday (a 2-1 loss to Roma), I saw good things from the team but with errors which in other matches wouldn’t have cost us”

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