In the Champions League quarter-final match against Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gündogan criticized Ronald Araujo for a costly mistake.
Gundogan expressed that they surrendered the game “in the easiest way possible.”
Barcelona, leading 3-2 from the first leg in Paris, took an early 1-0 lead through Raphinha at the Olympic Stadium.
However, Araújo was shown a red card for a last-man challenge on Bradley Barcola after just 30 minutes.
PSG mounted a comeback to secure a 4-1 victory on the night, progressing 6-4 on aggregate and booking a spot in the semi-finals against Borussia Dortmund.
“If he did foul him, it probably deserved a red card. I didn’t see the replay. It’s crucial in such moments to ensure you win the ball,” said Gundogan.
“If you fail to do so, and I’m uncertain if he did, you should maintain your distance.
“I would rather concede a goal in that situation or leave the striker in a one-on-one scenario, even though he had control of the ball quite far from the goal, so I’m unsure if he could have gotten to it. Give the goalkeeper an opportunity to rescue us or even let a goal in.
“To receive a red card, losing a player early on just ruins the game,” Gundogan informed CBS.