Girona stunned Barca 2-1, with Fran Beltran scoring an 86th minute winner. Lamine Yamal also missed a penalty for visitors.
A flashpoint was Girona's late winner. The visitors insist Jules Kounde was fouled in the build-up by Claudio Echeverri.
Michel said afterwards, “This victory was much needed. We're in a situation with ten teams fighting to get out of the relegation zone. Three points against Barça are much more than just three points. They usually beat every team, and if you beat them, it's a very important step.”
On Beltran's winner, he continued: “It was a counter-attack. I think Echeverri went in for the play. It could be called, and if the referee calls a foul, we'll leave it at that, but if VAR doesn't intervene, they're right not to.
"Echeverri wasn't going in studs-up at any point; he wasn't trying to foul because he was using the inside of his foot to win the ball. These kinds of plays, like penalties for stamping, are a departure from the spirit of football. If the referee calls it, fine, play stops. But if VAR had intervened, I would have thought it was a mistake.”
Michel also said: “I think it was a fantastic match. I enjoyed it, and it's very difficult to do so in a match where we had such a high demand and against such a tough opponent. I really enjoyed it because the players had a great game, and Barça did too. Anything could have happened, but our victory was definitely deserved.”
He added: “I think it’s unfair to focus on just one play after the spectacle we saw. It seems like a huge oversimplification of football. It was a fantastic match. It’s very unfair to talk about a single play. Joan García was clearly Barça’s best player, and we did an exceptional job.
"We showed incredible character. It’s very unfair to focus on just one play after the match we saw. We need to think less about the referees and more about helping them. We shouldn’t think that messages directed at the referees are going to make or break our game. I don’t like the focus being on the referee.”