"We watched the Inter game and it was torture" - Joan Laporta breaks silence on Barcelona's UCL elimination

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has rued his team's failure to qualify for the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League knockout stages.

The Blaugrana were knocked out of Europe's top-tier continental competition for the second successive year on Wednesday (October 26). Inter Milan pipped Xavi Hernandez's side to secure the second spot in Group C with a convincing 4-0 win against Viktoria Plzen at San Siro.

Barcelona, on the other hand, slumped to their third defeat of the campaign as group leaders Bayern Munich registered a 3-0 victory at Camp Nou. Sadio Mane, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scored in the first half while Benjamin Pavard made it three just before the final whistle.

Speaking after his team's relegation to the UEFA Europa League play-offs, Laporta expressed his gratitude to the Blaugrana fans. He told SPORT:

"Unfortunately, the miracle did not happen. We have to thank the fans, in an [emotionally] difficult game to play, they have encouraged the players and the team because we have the best fans in the world."

He asserted that the Catalan giants still have a lot to look forward to this season, including competing in La Liga and Copa del Rey. He added:

"Now we have to look forward, we still have La Liga and other competitions. We knew that in this reconstruction period, there would be ups and downs. We have to keep growing every day."

Laporta also shared his thoughts about his team's clash against Bayern and claimed that watching Inter Milan win was agonizing for him. He said:

"[Bayern Munich are] a consolidated and powerful team, one of the best in Europe. Furthermore, nothing was at stake and they could play relaxed and risk up to a limit. For us, it was complicated.

"We watched the Inter game together and it was torture. There was no miracle, but we continued with faith and with the desire to progress more and more."

Barcelona are scheduled to end their ongoing UEFA Champions League campaign with a trip to Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday (November 1).

Joan Laporta to axe four Barcelona players after UCL elimination: Reports

According to El Nacional, Barcelona president Joan Laporta is prepared to offload a quadrant of key players to help balance the books at Camp Nou.

Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba, who have been stalwarts in the Blaugrana backline for over a decade, are now considered to be surplus to requirements. The pair are also on big-money contracts and the Catalan giants tried to sell the Spain internationals over the summer.

Franck Kessie, who arrived on a free transfer from AC Milan in July this year, has also been listed as a potential departure. The 25-year-old has so far failed to make a mark in his three starts this season.

Memphis Depay is also said to be free to leave the club in January, with injury problems restricting him to just three appearances this campaign.