MILAN, Italy -- Hansi Flick says his Barcelona players deserve respect in Europe once again, but he was left craving Champions League glory after suffering an agonising semifinal defeat to Internazionale on Tuesday.
Barça came from two goals down to lead Inter 3-2 on the night at San Siro, 6-5 on aggregate, heading into stoppage time at the end of 180 remarkable minutes of football.
However, Francesco Acerbi's 93rd-minute goal took the tie to extra time, where Davide Frattesi struck to seal a 7-6 aggregate win for Inter and book the Serie A side's place in the final against either Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal.
"I think the team, the players deserve that they have respect [in Europe]," Flick said in the postgame news conference.
"But we are playing for winning titles. We want to win titles. Next season we want to do it. This is one of our goals. We will be back next season in the Champions League."
It is now 10 years since Barça last made the Champions League final, beating Juventus to lift the trophy for the fifth time in 2015.
Since then, they have suffered humbling defeats to Roma and Liverpool, in 2018 and 2019 respectively, and even dropped into the Europa League twice in recent seasons.
This season's run to the semifinal proved they can compete with Europe's top clubs once again, but they may have to improve defensively to take that next step after conceding seven goals across the two games with Inter.
"Of course we could do more [defensively]," Flick added. "At the end, Inter's strikers are really good. They can keep the ball. They're really strong, but they're also experienced.
"We have a young team. We will improve, of course. This is our job, to make this team better and better. We can improve in defence, of course, but also in attack."
Barça had twice came from behind to draw 3-3 at the Olympic Stadium last week and left themselves another mountain to climb in Milan by conceding two goals before half-time.
Lautaro Martínez opened the scoring and Hakan Çalhanoğlu doubled the home side's lead from the penalty spot after the referee ruled Pau Cubarsí had fouled Martínez following a pitch side-review of the incident.
Barça fought back to level with goals from Eric García and Dani Olmo before Raphinha gave them the lead for the first time in the tie in the 87th-minute, but Acerbi and Frattesi ensured heartbreak followed.
Inter keeper Yann Sommer was also a hero for the hosts, coming up big with two late saves, including one on Barça sensation Lamine Yamal. After the match, the 17-year-old reassured the Catalan side's supporters that the team would be back better and stronger next season.
"We've given it our all. This year we couldn't make it, but we'll be back. Don't doubt it, 'CULERS,' we won't stop until we put this club where it deserves to be, at the top," Yamal posted on social media. "I'll keep my promise and will bring it [the UCL trophy] to Barcelona. We won't stop until we achieve that. But we have another final on Sunday, and we have to be together. Long live Barça!"
Flick was proud of his team's performance but also complained about the refereeing.
"I know everyone is disappointed," he added. "We came back again and I think some decisions were 50-50, always for Inter, but it's like that. We have to accept it, it's football.
"We can be proud about our performance. I am proud of my team. We gave everything. Sometimes it's like that, you feel a little bit unfair. Some decisions the referee made were maybe not on our side, but we have to accept it.
"Maybe I have [said] too much about the referees, so I also want to congratulate Inter, they did a great job in both games, and good luck in the final."
Barça's season is not over, either. They have already won the Spanish Supercopa and the Copa del Rey, while they host Real Madrid on Sunday with the chance to move one step closer to clinching the LaLiga title.
Flick's side are four points clear of their Clásico rivals at the top of the table with just four games to go.
"It will be tough, but we will give everything," the German coach said. "It has to go on. We have five days to prepare and we want to win it. The hunger to win the title is important for me."