‘Luck wasn’t on our side’ – Frenkie de Jong reacts after Barcelona are knocked out of Champions League

Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong believes fortune deserted the Catalan giants as they crashed out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage, falling to Atletico on Tuesday night.

Barça flew out of the traps and surged into a commanding 2-0 lead, only for Atletico to halve the deficit before the break. The hosts then saw a penalty appeal waved away and had a second goal chalked off for offside, moments that proved pivotal as the tie slipped away. Compounding the frustration, Eric Garcia received a red card, reducing Barcelona to ten men for the closing stages.

Speaking to Movistar after the final whistle, De Jong refused to dwell on despair, insisting the performance offered proof of progress.

“We played a very good match. We gave it our all,” the Dutchman said. “I have the feeling that luck wasn’t on our side. I think we’re growing, that we have a young, talented team that can compete for everything. We’re going to keep going like this.”

The dismissal of Garcia added another layer of adversity, yet De Jong praised the collective effort.

“We’re down one player, which is always more difficult. Everyone gave their all. It wasn’t enough.”

While acknowledging the sting of another last-eight exit, the 26-year-old struck an optimistic tone about the club’s trajectory.

“It’s never good to fall in the quarterfinals. We want to win it. That doesn’t mean we’re not playing well or that we’re not on the right track. In the Champions League, it’s all about details and you need a bit of luck. At some point, it has to go our way if we keep going like this.”

Barcelona now turn their attention back to domestic duties, buoyed by the belief that their youthful squad is edging closer to the elite level required to conquer Europe.