Andres Iniesta expresses 'pain' after Barcelona suffer shock Uefa Champions League exit at hands of Roma

Barcelona went to Rome leading 4-1 after first leg of quarter-final tie, but 3-0 loss at Stadio Olimpico condemned five-time European champions to defeat on away goals

epa06660375 Roma's Kevin Strootman (L) and Barcelona's Andres Iniesta in action during the UEFA Champions League quarter final second leg match between AS Roma and FC Barcelona at Olimpico stadium in Rome, Italy, 10 April 2018.  EPA/RICCARDO ANTIMIANI
Powered by automated translation

Barcelona skipper Andres Iniesta conceded his crushing disappointment after the Catalans were sent packing from the Uefa Champions League by Roma in sensational fashion on Tuesday.

"It is very painful because nobody expected it with the lead we had," Iniesta told Catalunya TV.

"When you do things badly, you commit lots of mistakes and we didn't adapt to the game. It is a massive disappointment given the season we had been having."

Barcelona went to Rome leading 4-1 after the first leg of their quarter-final tie, but a 3-0 loss at the Stadio Olimpico condemned the five-time European champions to a defeat on away goals.

It is their third consecutive exit from the competition in the last eight.

"We always try to give the maximum but we are knocked out and now feel everyone's pain. We had high hopes this season and it has escaped us again," added the 33-year-old player, who also acknowledged that the game could have been his last in the competition for Barca amid uncertainty about his future beyond this season.

Barcelona fell behind to an Edin Dzeko goal inside six minutes with Daniele de Rossi netting a 58th-minute penalty before Kostas Manolas headed in the crucial goal eight minutes from the end.

The defeat came with Barca on course to win the Primera Liga and with a Copa del Rey final against Sevilla approaching later this month.

They are unbeaten in the Primera Liga and had only previously lost once all season, to Espanyol in the Copa del Rey.

"I would be lying if I told you we can take something positive from this," midfielder Sergio Busquets told beIN SPORTS.  "It is a very sad way to fall after the result we had. They were superior to us in all aspects."

Meanwhile, Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu apologised to the club's supporters.

"The dream for all of us was to reach the semis and I'm very sorry to all the Barcelona fans in the world," he told Catalunya TV.

______________

Read more

Robben: Bayern 'need to be careful' against Sevilla in quarter-finals

The unsung heroes: More to Real Madrid than just Cristiano Ronaldo

Out of Manuel Neuer's shadow, Sven Ulreich eager to shine in Europe

Guardiola calls on Man City to be 'almost perfect' to reach UCL semis

______________