Barcelona really looked like they were about to snatch a late goal against Atletico Madrid in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals last week. Everything was set for a dramatic finish, but that just wasn’t in the cards.

Right when it felt like Barcelona were gearing up for one last push, Eric Garcia got sent off for a foul that honestly seemed pretty minimal; he wasn’t even the last man back. It fit the tone of the night, though. The referee’s decision didn’t shock anyone. It just felt like another blow in a game where everything went against Barcelona, and once Garcia was off, there was no coming back.

Garcia talked about all of this at a recent event. He spoke to the press and opened up about the red card and how the refereeing seemed to change everything.

“In these competitions, you need a bit of luck. It just wasn’t going our way at all,” he said, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.

He didn’t blame the referees for everything, but he admitted there were some strange calls he couldn’t wrap his head around. When someone asked if the officials had been extra harsh with Barcelona, he just shrugged: “That’s how it goes sometimes. Usually, we get it tough, and other teams don’t. That’s football.”

Thinking back to that second leg, Garcia remembered moments when Barcelona really believed they could turn things around, especially when the score was still 0-2. “We believed in ourselves then. The team showed a good image. We’re learning, even though we don’t have much experience at this level, and we need to keep getting used to these kinds of games.”

Despite the disappointment, Garcia stayed upbeat about the season, especially with La Liga still within reach. “Now, we’re focused on La Liga. We’re in a good spot, and the sooner we can seal it, the better. It’s a reward for being consistent. We’ve played really well all year.”

He admitted the loss to Atletico stings, especially since they also knocked Barcelona out of the Copa del Rey. “It hurts because of the way it happened, but it doesn’t take away from what we’ve achieved so far.”

The guard of honour topic came up, too: if they win the league before El Clásico, would Real Madrid give them that traditional respect? Garcia grinned. “If they do it, it’s because we’ve already won it. As I said, I just want to win as soon as we can.”

And if the roles were reversed, would Barcelona honour Real Madrid? Garcia was clear: “If someone beats you, you have to show respect. If it were us, we’d do it for any rival.”

People also asked about his World Cup chances, since he missed out on the last Spain squad. “Everyone knows there’s a World Cup, and I’d love to be there. All I can do is give my best every game, and if the coach calls me, I’ll be delighted.”

Barcelona want a new left-sided forward this summer, but it’s still a mystery who they’ll actually go after. Back when 2026 kicked off, everyone was pretty sure Marcus Rashford would stick around on a permanent deal. Now, though, the club’s not so sure, and things feel a lot less clear.

They've got the option to buy Rashford for €30 million, thanks to the terms of his loan. But lately, rumours suggest Barcelona might chase a younger, cheaper player instead. Spanish outlet Sport says the club plans to meet soon with Rashford’s agent and brother, so we’ll see if that clears anything up. They’re also still considering names like Andreas Schjelderup, Ez Abde, and Jan Virgili as possible alternatives.

And now, in a new twist, Barcelona has apparently been offered the chance to sign Rafael Leao from AC Milan. According to Corriere della Sella (via the Barcelona press), there’s interest because Leao’s situation at Milan has changed; he’s no longer in favour, and the Italian club wants to move him before his contract runs out in 2028. His asking price has dropped, too. Instead of the €100 million that shut Barcelona out in the past, Milan might let him go for as little as €50 million. That’s way more tempting.

Barcelona’s watched Leao for a while. A couple of summers ago, while they were trying to land Nico Williams, Leao’s name kept coming up. He’s represented by Jorge Mendes, who always seems to be involved in Barça business, and President Joan Laporta is a pretty big fan. Still, things got held up. Deco, the club’s director of football, wasn’t wild about Leao’s work off the ball, and the transfer fee felt crazy high.

Leao’s numbers this season aren’t bad. He’s scored 10 goals and picked up two assists in 25 games, though he’s only started 20 of them. So, with his price finally within reach, maybe Barcelona will finally make a move. That is, if they don’t decide to stick with Rashford or gamble on someone younger.