Barcelona Europa League exit to Eintracht dominates Spanish papers

‘Kaputt in the Nou Kamp!’ Takeover by 20,000 Eintracht Frankfurt fans as their team dumped Barcelona out of the Europa League dominates the Spanish front pages as Mundo bemoan ‘hostile’ home stadium for Xavi’s team

  • Barcelona were dumped out the Europa League by Eintracht Frankfurt
  • Bundesliga club surged into a three-goal lead before late rally by Barcelona
  • Friday’s sports papers in Spain focus on takeover by Eintracht supporters
  • Around 20,000 were inside Nou Camp despite allocation of only 5,000
  • Barca coach Xavi and president Joan Laporta described scenes as embarrassing 

Barcelona’s shock exit from the UEFA Europa League dominates the front pages in Spain on Friday amid anger that 20,000 Eintracht Frankfurt fans were able to take over the Nou Camp.

The club’s recent revival under Xavi ground to a halt as they crashed out of Europe at the quarter-final stage, falling three goals behind to the German with even a stoppage time rally insufficient.

‘What a disappointment’ ran the headline on Friday’s Diario Sport with a picture of a very dejected Sergio Busquets as the favourites to lift the trophy bowed out.

Friday’s Mundo Deportivo focused on the takeover of the Nou Camp by 20,000 Eintracht Frankfurt supporters as the Bundesliga club dumped Barcelona out the Europa League

The German club brought 20,000 fans with them, with many in home sections of the ground

Frankfurt will play West Ham in the semi-final after their historic night in Spain 

The front page also focused in on another blow for Barcelona with star midfielder Pedri forced off at half-time with a muscle injury that could rule him out of the remainder of the LaLiga season.

‘Kaputt in the Nou Kamp’ said Mundo Deportivo, a reference to the German takeover inside the stadium as thousands of Frankfurt fans bought tickets in home section in addition to their 5,000 allocation.

Their choice of front page image shows a bank of celebrating Frankfurt fans with coach Xavi saying afterwards the club had made a ‘clear miscalculation’, describing the atmosphere as being like playing at a neutral ground.

‘What a disappointment’ said the headline on Sport as the favourites crashed out of Europe

‘Barca dumped out’ said the headline on Marca’s front page amid scenes of dejection

‘In white’ said AS, a reference to the thousands of Eintracht fans dressed in white 

Mundo even described it as ‘hostile’ for Barcelona and ‘shameful’, words echoed by the club president Joan Laporta afterwards as he asked why so many season ticket holders gave up their seats.

Naturally, the Madrid press enjoyed the moment. ‘Barca dumped out’ was Marca’s headline, with the paper making great play that this was their second European elimination of the season after they exited the Champions League after the group stage.

Tens of thousands of Frankfurt fans flocked to Barcelona for the quarter-final second leg 

‘In white’ said Diario AS, another reference to the many thousands of visiting fans who dressed in white. Adama Traore is pictured roaring in frustration in the back of the net after a chance went begging.

They say Barcelona were ‘overrun for an hour’ as the Bundesliga club went 4-1 ahead on aggregate before being pegged back in stoppage time in a too little, too late rally.




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