Barcelona 2-3 Frankfurt: Another nightmare ends Europa League hopes

Barcelona 2-3 Frankfurt: Another nightmare ends Europa League hopes

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Xavi's side exited Europe after a tough night against the Bundesliga side

Barcelona are out of the Europa League after a 3-2 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt at Camp Nou on Thursday saw them exit the competition at the quarterfinal stage 4-3 on aggregate. 

Sergio Busquets and a late Memphis Depay penalty gave the scoreline a more flattering feel for Barca, who found themselves 3-0 down to the German side, who had over 20,000 fans inside the stadium. 

Filip Kostic opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the second minute after a foul by Eric Garcia and Rafael Santos Borre doubled the away team's lead before the break with a strike from distance. 

Frankfurt made it three when Kostic got his second in the 67th minute to leave Barça reeling. 

Busquets thought he'd got Barça back in it only to see his goal ruled out for offside before hammering home from 20 yards heading into nine minutes of stoppage time. 

Memphis then got a second from the spot but it was too late, with the full time whistle following soon after. 

Questions will be raised about a ticketing policy that allowed so many away fans into the stadium, with Barça coach Xavi Hernandez saying the atmosphere was like a "final," with the stadium split. 

Barça's players were booed by the thousands of Frankfurt fans as they came out to warm up and it set the tone for the night. 

It didn't help, then, when Garcia gave a penalty away in the second minute and Kostic scored to give the visitors the lead on the night and on aggregate following a 1-1 draw in Germany last week. 

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed a good chance for Barça and Ronald Araujo had an effort tipped over as Xavi's side attempted to react. 

Kostic shot straight at Ter Stegen on the counter but it looked like Barça had control until Borre hammered in from distance in the 37th minute to leave the home side facing an uphill battle. 

Frenkie de Jong replaced the injured Pedri at half-time and more chances to score came and went for Barca: Aubameyang missed another from a Dembele cross before being denied by Kevin Trapp. 

But then it was three. Barça, in search of a goal, left far too much space and Kostic finished brilliantly inside the box. 

From there, Frankfurt had three of four chances to make it four on the break but Barça eventually gave the impression of making a game of it. 

First Busquets was just offside but then he sweetly struck home from the corner of the box as the match entered nine minutes of injury time. 

Araujo almost headed in a second straight after and Memphis eventually did make it two from the penalty spot but it proved the last kick of the game as the lights went out on Barca's Europa League campaign. 

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