Barcelona’s Champions League semi-final exit triggered immediate emotional fallout and internal changes within the club. Despite a valiant display against a fortunate Inter Milan side, the painful result led to intense internal criticism and prompted swift, concrete decisions.
Although Barcelona held a 3–2 lead until the 87th minute, they failed to see out the match — conceding a late equalizer and then a fourth goal in extra time, ending their hopes of reaching the final.
Uruguayan defender Ronald Araujo came under heavy fire for his underwhelming second-half performance after replacing Iñigo Martínez. He was directly involved in the defensive lapses that led to Inter’s final two goals and appeared out of sync with the game’s intensity.
However, Araujo wasn’t alone in facing scrutiny. Youngster Héctor Fort was also sharply criticized after a shaky cameo. Substituted in during the eighth minute of extra time for Eric Garcia — who had impressed — Fort looked overwhelmed. He lost composure, made poor decisions, and failed to manage possession, errors deemed unacceptable for a club at Barcelona’s level.
According to El Nacional, Fort is now reportedly on the transfer list, with club leadership believing he’s not yet ready for first-team responsibilities. In contrast, Eric Garcia’s solid showing has reinforced his role as a reliable backup to Jules Koundé, thanks to his positioning, discipline, and game awareness.
