Mikel Critiques Barcelona's UEFA Exit, Praises Atletico

John Obi Mikel, the captain of the Super Eagles, criticized FC Barcelona following their elimination from the UEFA Champions League by Atletico Madrid. Mikel stated that Barcelona should blame themselves for the defeat rather than the referee's decisions.

Despite Barcelona winning the second leg 2-1 on Tuesday night, Atletico Madrid advanced with a 3-2 aggregate score after their 2-0 victory in the first leg. Mikel highlighted Barcelona's failure to capitalize on their possession and questioned their mental strength during crucial moments.

He praised Atletico Madrid's resilience and acknowledged the decisive contribution of Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman, who scored a key goal for Atletico. Mikel dismissed claims of referee bias, stating that Barcelona's lack of "killer instinct" was the real issue.

The defeat extends Barcelona's struggles in European competitions, while Atletico Madrid will face Arsenal in the semi-finals in their pursuit of a first UEFA Champions League title.