Barcelona head coach Xavi feels his side were denied a "very clear" penalty late on in their action-packed 2-2 draw with Manchester United.
The sides played out a thriller at Camp Nou on Thursday to leave their Europa League knockout play-off round tie in the balance heading into next week's return leg.
Marcos Alonso opened the scoring for Barca early in the second half, but United were in front nine minutes later through a Marcus Rashford strike and Jules Kounde's own goal.
Raphinha equalised for the hosts in rather fortuitous circumstances in the 76th minute, the winger's cross going right through without a touch, and Barca went all out for a winner.
A scramble in the box culminated in Casemiro hitting his own post, before Ansu Fati was brilliantly denied by David de Gea – the United keeper's sixth save of the game.
Amid the end-to-end drama in the closing stages, Xavi is adamant his side should have been awarded a spot-kick for a shot that struck Fred on the arm.
"For me, the penalty is very clear," he told Movistar+. "I went over to tell the referee that at the end. It was clear. That's my opinion and I know that won't change anything.
"The referee said the ball was too close to [Fred's] body, but for me it's not. It's a clear penalty."
Barcelona finished the game with an expected goals (xG) return of 1.26 compared to 2.13 for their opponents, suggesting the Red Devils did more to win the contest.
Raphinha's goal ultimately salvaged a draw for the LaLiga leaders, with the former Leeds United player having now been involved in five goals in his four games against United.
He also played in the corner for Alonso's opener, meaning he has scored and assisted in the same game four times this term – the most of any LaLiga player in all competitions.
The Brazil international reacted angrily to being substituted for Ferran Torres soon after scoring, but head coach Xavi says that is entirely understandable.
"I have to do it for the good of the team," Xavi said. "I perfectly understand the anger shown by players. I was also angry.
"He has come to apologise to me, but he didn't have to. We wanted to find a way to win the game and we almost did at the end."
Barcelona are now unbeaten in their past 16 matches, but one big negative for the Catalan giants was losing influential midfielder Pedri to a first-half injury.
The 20-year-old sustained muscle discomfort in the quadriceps of his right leg, which initial reports suggest will rule him out for up to a month – and thus next week's second leg.
Asked for an update on Pedri's injury, Xavi simply said: "He noticed some discomfort in the quadriceps. We'll have to see."
Gavi will also miss the return fixture at Old Trafford next Thursday after picking up a yellow card in the second half.
Despite the initial air of frustration, Xavi was happy with his side's performance against a United side that have now lost just once in 16 games since the World Cup break.
"It was a very even match. We played well against a great team," Xavi said. "We had to work hard. We had the feeling we could have scored a winning goal.
"Old Trafford will now decide it. We go to Manchester with the aim to advance."
'Call it a day' – Casemiro told to quit Man Utd after hapless Palace display
Casemiro has been told to quit Manchester United after producing a dire display in Monday's 4-0 loss at Crystal Palace, with Jamie Carragher saying the Brazilian can no longer cut it at the top level.
United produced arguably their worst performance of the season on Monday, with Michael Olise scoring twice as Palace hammered Erik ten Hag's injury-hit side at Selhurst Park.
With Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof all sidelined, Casemiro played as a makeshift centre-back alongside Jonny Evans and endured a nightmare outing.
The Brazilian was beaten all too easily by Olise for Palace's opener, then was outmuscled by Daniel Munoz for Olise's second goal just after the hour mark.
Carragher believes the time has come for the five-time Champions League winner to step away from the top level, saying a move to MLS or the Saudi Pro League should be on the cards.
"I think Casemiro should know himself, as an experienced player, that he should only have three games left at a top level," Carragher said in his role as Sky Sports pundit.
"Then he should say, 'I'm going to head to MLS or Saudi'. His agent or the team around him need to tell him. We're watching one of the greats of the modern time.
"But I always remember something when I retired, a saying I'll always remember, 'leave the football before the football leaves you'.
"The football's left him at this top level. He needs to call it a day at this level of football and move."
Casemiro has struggled throughout his second season at Old Trafford. Last campaign, the former Real Madrid star won possession 8.68 times per 90 minutes, on average, in the Premier League, also managing 1.44 interceptions per game.
Both of those figures are down this term, with Casemiro only winning possession back 6.14 times and making 0.84 interceptions per 90 minutes.
Since the turn of the year, meanwhile, United have faced a Premier League-high 317 shots, while only West Ham (36.35), Luton Town (35.78), Burnley (31.88) and Sheffield United (31.6) have allowed opponents to generate more expected goals (xG) than their 31.47.
Ten Hag, however, refused to single out Casemiro for criticism after Monday's match, saying: "You can't put this down to one player, it's a team performance."
Casemiro has been dribbled past on 52 occasions in the Premier League this season, with only eight players being beaten by opponents more often in the competition.
Napoli determined to finish poor season on a high with European qualification
Napoli coach Francesco Calzona is determined to see the Partenopei finish the season on a high despite their European hopes being further hit by Monday's 1-1 draw with struggling Udinese.
Victor Osimhen nodded home to give Napoli the lead in the 51st minute before Udinese forward Isaac Success bundled in the leveller in stoppage time.
The result – which came on the same ground where Napoli clinched the Scudetto last season – leaves them nine points adrift of Atalanta and Roma, who sit fifth and sixth in Serie A respectively, with just nine to play for.
"Clearly I thought we could do better, without a doubt. Unfortunately that wasn't the case," Calzona told DAZN.
"We have to ask the management about the future of Napoli, it's clear that we have the qualities to do better.
"It was a disappointing and unfortunate year, but we absolutely must finish this championship on a high note."
Napoli had 50 points halfway through their Scudetto-winning 2022-23 campaign but have just 51 after 35 games this term, with their ambitions now limited to a Europa League spot.
Calzona says European qualification remains crucial as Napoli look ahead to 2024-25, adding: "Naples is a great place, perhaps after a year like this there will be many rumours circulating.
"But it is not a justification, I repeated that there is still a possibility of reaching Europe.
"We have improved a little, but it's not enough. We have to do more to win these games. We have also created, the team continues to have good possession, but at times it is sterile.
"But we have to be more incisive. In the second half we did it but we have to avoid the end of the game where it gets dirty".
Napoli next host fourth-placed Bologna on Saturday before they travel to Fiorentina, who are one point behind them in ninth and still have a game in hand.
Eriksen says Man Utd players must take blame for Selhurst Park rout
Christian Eriksen believes Manchester United's players must take the blame after their miserable season hit a new low with Monday's 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace.
Erik ten Hag's injury-hit Red Devils were torn apart by Palace as Michael Olise scored a wonderful brace and was joined on the scoresheet by Jean-Philippe Mateta and Tyrick Mitchell.
United's 13th loss of the Premier League season – their most in a league campaign since 1989-90 (16) – leaves them eighth in the table and facing an uphill battle to qualify for Europe.
They have now conceded 81 goals across all competitions this season, their most in a single campaign since they shipped the same number in 1976-77.
While the manner of the defeat will only raise further questions about Ten Hag's future at Old Trafford, Eriksen says the players are primarily responsible.
"It's a big disappointment. We just had an off-day, and we weren't in it," the midfielder told BBC Sport.
"It is what it is. We can't really change the injury things. We have to do what we can on the pitch to change it. Today it didn't matter who we played, everyone could have done better.
"I don't know what the conclusion is for how it went. We weren't good enough. We tried to do what we could but we were not good enough. We'll take the blame as players."
Since the start of last season, only Nottingham Forest (five) have lost more away Premier League games by a margin of four or more goals than United (three), with the Red Devils also going down 4-0 at Brentford and 7-0 at Liverpool last term.
They now trail sixth-placed Newcastle United by two points and are behind seventh-placed Chelsea on goal difference, with fixtures against Arsenal, Brighton and Hove Albion and Newcastle to come this season.
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