FC Barcelona was surprised at home on Thursday by Eintracht Frankfurt in the return quarter of the Europa League 3-2 after the first leg draw (1-1). It is the Germans who are thus qualified for the semi-finals, where they will be opposed to West Ham, who defeated Lyon (1-1, 3-0).
The Catalans gave in immediately on a penalty conceded in the 4th minute after a collision between Eric Garcia and Jesper Lindstrom and converted by Filip Kostic, then a second time at half an hour on a sublime long shot signed Rafael Santos Borré (36th), before seeing their last hopes fly away on a cross shot from Kostic, for the double (67th).
The goal of Blaugrana captain Sergio Busquets, at the very end of the match (90th + 1) and the penalty converted by Memphis Depay after additional time (90th + 10), will have given only a vain and brief hope to the Catalans.
For Barça de Xavi, excluded from the Champions League from the group stage in December for the first time since 2006, this new disillusionment will put a brake on the project of a great return to the European scene.
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