Former Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi has criticised FC Barcelona following their Champions League exit, insisting the Spanish giants were responsible for their own downfall despite blaming officiating after their defeat to Atlético Madrid.

What happened

Barcelona crashed out of the competition on a 3-2 aggregate scoreline, despite winning the second leg 2-1 at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.

The Catalan side had taken early control of the match, racing into a 2-0 lead and appearing on course to overturn the tie before the momentum shifted.

Atlético Madrid responded, with Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman scoring a crucial goal that restored their aggregate advantage and effectively sealed Barcelona’s exit.

Mikel’s verdict

Reacting after the match, Mikel Obi dismissed claims of unfair officiating, saying Barcelona failed to convert dominance into results.

“A lot of FC Barcelona fans won’t like what I’m about to say, but it’s the truth,” he said.

“You dominated the ball the entire game just to do absolutely nothing with it, and then you shout ‘robbery’ when reality hits you.”

He added that the team lacked the cutting edge needed at crucial moments.

“That wasn’t a robbery, that was you exposing yourselves by having all the possession and zero killer instinct to show for it.”

On mentality and character

Mikel questioned Barcelona’s famed “comeback mentality,” saying it was missing when it mattered most.

“That ‘comeback mentality’ you love to talk about… where was it? Because when the game really needed character, Atlético Madrid had it,” he said.

He pointed to Lookman’s performance as the defining difference between both sides.

“Ademola Lookman stepped up and decided the match,” he noted.

Blame game

Barcelona players, including Raphinha, had voiced frustration after the match, with some describing the result as a “robbery.”

But Mikel insisted blaming referees only hides deeper problems within the team.

According to him, focusing on officiating instead of performance reflects a lack of accountability after failing across both legs.

What it means

The result has sparked fresh debate around Barcelona’s mentality in big games, with critics questioning whether the team can translate dominance into decisive results at the highest level.