How did Barcelona’s players react to Real Madrid’s 4-0 defeat to Man City?

“They’re getting taken to the cleaners!” During Manchester City’s 4-0 Champions League win over Real Madrid on Wednesday, that was the message that kicked off a flood of texts between Barcelona’s players on their WhatsApp group.

“They’re so good!” - Barça players in awe as City crush Madrid

Throughout the semi-final second leg at the Etihad Stadium, as City set up a Champions League final against Inter, there was a succession of messages expressing awe at the hosts’ dominant display. “They’re so good!” was a conclusion repeated over and over during the course of the evening.

Some in the Blaugrana squad noted that it had been some time since arch rivals Madrid had been so thoroughly outplayed - “maybe since [Barça’s 3-1 win over Los Blancos in January in] the Spanish Super Cup final”, one member of the group suggested.

And it’s worth remembering that one of the stars of City’s thumping win, Ilkay Gündogan, could well be a Barça player next season. The German is out of contract in the summer, and is being tipped to move to the Camp Nou on a three-year deal. Last year, Barça were also close to signing City’s two-goal hero Bernardo Silva, only for the Manchester club’s financial demands to scupper the transfer.

Xavi congratulates Pep after Real rout

Eric García and Ferran Torres, two Barça squad members who used to play for City, took the opportunity to congratulate their former club-mates after the final whistle. Meanwhile, the Catalans’ head coach, Xavi Hernández, sent Pep Guardiola a message saluting his former Barça boss on steering City to June’s final in Istanbul.

On Thursday, the Barça squad will have a chance to react to the result face to face: after a two-day break, Xavi’s men return to work at the club’s training ground in the morning, before sitting down to dinner together in the evening to celebrate their LaLiga title win.

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