Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez hit back at critics after his side qualified for the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in four years.
The Catalans registered a thrilling 3-1 home victory against Napoli on Tuesday. Barcelona advanced after their win in the second leg gave them a 4-2 aggregate victory.
The five-times Champions League winners didn’t make it out of the group stage in the last two editions of the event and were ousted in the round of 16 in 2020-21.
Barcelona, who occupy third place in LaLiga and are behind leaders Real Madrid by eight points, have failed to impress this season and Xavi had already announced in January that he would exit the club at the end of the season.
"We have received unfair criticism," Xavi told reporters. "There has been too much pressure on the players like ultimatums, life or death.
"I even read that we were the joke of the Champions League. And now what?"
Xavi had stated before the fixture that the second leg of the round of 16 tie was Barca's most important game of the season.
"We had to be better than Napoli and we were, it's a more than deserved qualification, it's one of my best moments as Barcelona coach,” he said.
"We can be proud because we are one of the best eight teams in Europe."
According to Opta, Barcelona attempted 24 shots in this match against Napoli, their most in a Champions League knockout game since February 2019 against Lyon under Ernesto Valverde (25).
In a unique feat, Barcelona also became the first team in Champions League history to start two players aged 17 or under in a knockout stage game. Lamine Yamal (16 years and 243 days) and Pau Cubarsí (17 years and 50) were in the starting XI.
Early goals by Fermin Lopez and Joao Cancelo kept Barcelona in the driving seat but Amir Rrahmani reduced the deficit before half-time. However, Robert Lewandowski sealed the deal for the hosts with a late third.