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Bayern Munich beat Barcelona 3-0 in their final Champions League group stage game on Wednesday night. Barcelona's defeat, coupled with Benfica's win over Dynamo Kiev in the group's other match, meant that the Catalan giants have now been demoted to the Europa League.
Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez was not a happy man and blasted his side for their poor performance in a must-win game. He said:
"Bayern were better than us today, they're superior. We have tried; we have pressed high, taken the ball from them but our situation is the harsh reality that we have."
Xavi labeled his Barcelona side a "Europa League team" and challenged them to make a new start. The Spaniard stated:
"Today is the start of a new chapter for us and we have to start demanding a lot more from ourselves, we must use this as a turning point to change many things. Today we did not compete with a top team and our reality is that we are a Europa League team."
The Barcelona head coach also lamented the dismal situation at his beloved club, saying:
"We are going to face this reality with all the dignity in the world and work to bring Barca back to where we deserve to be, which is not the Europa League. It really annoys me to face our reality, I am angry. Barça does not deserve this. There are many circumstances that have made us like this."
Xavi made it clear that Barcelona will make a committed attempt to win the Europa League this season. The former midfielder elaborated:
"I feel responsible for the outcome, I thought we could qualify but it has not been like that. Anyone who tries never fails. Our Europa League challenge? We have to win it, win every game and title."
Barcelona will be finalcially challenged following Champions League exit
The financial crisis in Barcelona is likely to deepen due to their Champions League exit. The premier European competition brings with it a lot of money both in terms of television rights and progression rewards.
With Barcelona's exit in the group stage, the Catalans will now miss out on the extra cash that could have helped their financial crisis. It is also likely to impact Barcelona's ability to sign star players in the January transfer window.
The Camp Nou outfit are in search of a world-class forward, the hunt for which is likely to be difficult due to their Champions League absence.
