Xavi: Barcelona's handball against Getafe was 'invented'

Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez was annoyed with the officiating following his team's 0-0 draw with Getafe on Sunday.

In the course of the match, Raphinha was initially red-carded in the first half for an off-the-ball altercation with Gaston Silva involving facial contact.

Subsequently, Jaime Mata received his marching orders with two yellow cards in the second half.

Later in the same period, Xavi, too, was shown a red card for his protestations against a decision in which Ez Abde fell under pressure.

"I have told him that they were allowing many fouls and for us they weren't, that is why he sent me off.

"The other day we had a meeting with the referees and one of the first changes they were going to implement in the regulations was that they would understand the coaches more because there is a lot of tension for us.

"My sending off is not important, we have tried in every way against a very rocky opponent. We took a point that is insufficient, it's a shame.

"The referee is the one who allows it, there is no-one else. You are allowing too much. If we sell the LaLiga product and we have this, it doesn't help anyone..."

"It is a cumulation of things, they let them play, they whistle us...

"There is no need to go any deeper. Last year we started the same and ended well. We have not been accurate in the first half, but we have had chances in the second. They were comfortable wasting time with the 0-0, it's their football."

Xavi believes the officiating created a sub-standard product for La Liga as the game itself suffered.

"It's normal that people don't want to watch football. This was not a match, today's product is a disgrace," he told Sport.

"I don't see a hand anywhere. If the hand isn't clear, they won't call it, that's what they told us. I didn't like the meeting with the referees and I didn't like it today either.

"For me, the hand is invented. He invents the hand. That's the way it is. Everyone has seen it. At the meeting they said that they would understand the coaches during moments of tension, they didn't understand me in that moment.

"They said they would call handballs that were very clear, today I don't see it clearly."