Jordi Alba on Camp Nou Whistles for Barcelona Players: 'I Don't Like It'

Jordi Alba has hit back at the supporters who booed Barcelona players during Saturday's 1-0 win over Real Sociedad in La Liga.

The Camp Nou crowd started to jeer its own players early in the contest, with Barcelona struggling to make inroads against La Real. Eventually, the team emerged victorious, with Lionel Messi converting a late penalty to take them back to the summit of the table.

Speaking after the game, Alba was candid in revealing his frustration with the Blaugrana supporters and the manner in which they made their displeasure known, per Samuel Marsden of ESPN FC:

"No one likes to play poorly or how we're playing at the moment, but I don't like it when in the 15th minute with the score goalless there are whistles.

"No one likes it when the fans go against you, especially in your own stadium. Our attitude is good and all the players are giving everything out on the pitch. I'm not going to hide. Just as I respect everyone, they also have to respect me.

"I respect Barca fans a lot. Even falling [early] in the Champions League [in recent seasons], they have stuck with the team. It's not easy when things are not coming off, but we have to live with that at the end of the day. We know that if we're not at our best, it's going to be hard. We have to be strong mentally to turn the situation around."

Here are the highlights from the game, as Barcelona did just enough to get past an impressive opponent:

As Marsden noted via Twitter, there were also some chants aimed towards club president Josep Maria Bartomeu:

Alba thought he had doubled his side's advantage late in the game, and he celebrated by putting his fingers in his ears. However, his goal was ruled out for offside after a VAR review.

Barcelona's supporters were clearly unhappy with the performance on Saturday, although the previous game likely exacerbated that irritation. The Blaugrana were knocked off the top of the table by their great rivals, Real Madrid, limping to a 2-0 loss at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The win over Sociedad represented a step in the right direction, although Spanish football journalist Andy West wasn't impressed with the display:

Per OptaJose, Messi's goal saw him pass a landmark:

Despite the upheaval and general frustration that has lingered around the Camp Nou this season, Barcelona remain in contention for both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. They will be watching on keenly when Real Madrid travel to Seville to take on Real Betis on Sunday.

Regardless, the team is clearly not functioning as well as it should be given the quality of the squad. With that in mind, it's no surprise that supporters are anxious to see more.