Xavi felt Barcelona were ‘superior to Arsenal’

But the Spanish giants ended up losing 2-1 to the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium in London.

“It was a shame because we felt we were superior to Arsenal,” the 31-year-old told Marca.

“The result is worse than last season’s, as we had a draw in that match, and now we have a loss.

“The team made significant errors, but played good football. All we lacked was the finishing touch.

“We didn’t convert our endless opportunities. The match was up for the taking, but failed to win. The result was somewhat unfair.

“We may be disappointed, and know what we need to do in the return leg. We believe we can do well at the Nou Camp, and we are optimistic, but we respect Arsenal a lot.”