KEY POINTS

  • Bayern Munich thrashed Barcelona 3-0
  • The match took place at Barca's home ground Camp Nou
  • Sadio Mane opened the scoring for Bayern

FC Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez has admitted that Bayern Munich were a "better" side after his side lost 3-0 to the German club in the Champions League.

Barcelona crashed out of the group stages for the second consecutive year on Wednesday. The Catalans will now compete in the Europa League from the Round of 32 phase.

After Barcelona's 3-0 loss at Camp Nou, Xavi pointed out how "complicated" Group C was. Xavi and Co. first lost 2-0 at Allianz Arena before losing 1-0 to Inter Milan. In the reverse legs, Barcelona managed a 3-3 draw with Inter but were thrashed 3-0 by Bayern.

Following Inter Milan's 4-0 victory over Viktoria Plzen on Wednesday, Barcelona were inches away from Champions League elimination, which was eventually confirmed when the Camp Nou side lost to Bayern later in the day.

"We have to face the reality. I already said that we have to grow little by little and today there were good things. Today we did not compete on their level. In Munich, we were better but today we didn't compete. Today Bayern was better. Just as we were better in Munich and we should have won, today they were better. The group was very complicated and everything happened to us in the Champions League," Xavi told reporters after Barcelona's exit.

Barcelona will now have to qualify for the 2022-23 Europa League Round of 16 through a play-off match against either a second-placed Europa League team or fellow third-placed Champions League side.

The Camp Nou side's Champions League exit could have critical economic consequences following their heavy summer spending as the Catalan club could miss out on around $20 million.

Sadio Mane opened the scoring for Bayern Munich on Wednesday with his 10th-minute strike before 33-year-old German forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scored the second in the 31st minute. Right-back Benjamin Pavard put the final nail in the coffin with an injury-time goal to make it 3-0 for the Bavarians.

Xavi's Barcelona need to beat Bayern in their last group game to be sure of qualification
Xavi's Barcelona have dropped down to Europa League for a second straight season AFP / LLUIS GENE

As Barcelona await their Europa League fate, they are next scheduled to play a dead rubber fixture against Czech club Viktoria Plzen. Before that, Xavi's side will travel to Valencia on Saturday to remain in the La Liga race. With 28 points from 11 games, Barcelona are placed second in the 2022-23 league table, while Valencia are in the ninth spot.

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