"I am sorry for the fans" – Barcelona star issues apology after 'painful' UEFA Europa League elimination

Barcelona defender Jules Kounde has offered an apology to their fans after being eliminated from the UEFA Europa League play-off stage.

Barcelona slumped to a 2-1 loss at Manchester United on Thursday (February 23) after being held to a 2-2 draw in the first leg. Robert Lewandowski put the visitors in front in the 18th minute before Fred and Antony turned things around with a goal apiece after the break.

Speaking at a post-match press conference, Kounde expressed his thoughts after his team's UEFA Europa League elimination. He said:

"This elimination is very painful. We had a good first half and in the second half we conceded too quickly. We lost control after the equalizer. I think we also have to give credit to our rival, who put in an extra gear in the second half. It was quite difficult for us."

Apologizing to Barcelona's supporters, Kounde continued:

"We have struggled, it is true that there is a lot of disappointment within the squad. I am sorry for the fans that came today and for the group because the goal was to win the Europa League."

Kounde claimed that Pedri, Gavi, and Ousmane Dembele's absences were a vital factor in their continental defeat at Old Trafford. He added:

"I think we've had a lot of casualties in the Champions League and our rivals were stronger. This should help us learn. We have to go one step further and I'm sure we'll do it next year. I think this is not a failure because of how we competed against a very fit opponent. We are a young squad and we must continue to grow."

Xavi reacts to Barcelona's UEL elimination

Speaking at a post-match press conference, Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez shared his thoughts on his team's European loss. He said:

"It's a great disappointment. We were competitive, but physically they were better. We have improved from last season, but it wasn't enough in the end. The difference between last year and this year is that now we can compete, with the likes of Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Manchester United. They are big teams and it's hard to compete against them. We will come back stronger next year."

The Blaugrana are next set to be in action against Almeria in their La Liga clash at the Estadio Mediterraneo on Sunday (February 26).

Xavi's side is atop the La Liga table with 59 points from 22 games.