Frustration around officiating decisions has been a recurring theme across Spanish football this season, with VAR once again dominating the post-match conversation after another high-profile night under the lights.
European nights and cup semi-finals are often defined by fine margins, and when technology enters the equation, emotions tend to boil over even more sharply.
For clubs competing at the very top, consistency and transparency in refereeing decisions are seen as non-negotiable, particularly when silverware is on the line.
Those tensions resurfaced in Madrid, where a heavy scoreline failed to tell the full story of what unfolded during a chaotic second half.
Now, attention has shifted away from the pitch and towards the corridors of Spanish football’s governing bodies.
According to Que t’hi Jugues, via X, Barcelona are preparing to lodge a formal complaint with the RFEF following their controversial disallowed goal during the 4-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final clash.
The match, played at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, appeared to be slipping away from the Catalans by half-time after four goals left them with a mountain to climb.
However, Barcelona emerged from the interval with renewed energy and belief, pinning Atletico back and pushing for an early breakthrough that could reignite the tie.
That moment seemed to arrive when teenage defender Pau Cubarsi found the net, offering a lifeline and briefly shifting the momentum of the contest.
Celebrations were short-lived, though, as the goal was ruled out for offside following a lengthy VAR check that stretched on for nearly seven minutes.
What followed only intensified Barcelona’s anger, with the Referees’ Technical Committee later confirming that a technical fault had affected the semi-automated offside system.
As a result, officials were forced to manually draw the offside lines, images that many felt were unclear and unconvincing, further fuelling doubts over the accuracy of the decision.
From Barcelona’s perspective, the disallowed goal not only denied them a crucial strike in the context of the tie but also completely drained the rhythm and pressure they had built at the start of the second half.
Sources close to the club insist there is deep frustration over how the incident was handled, with particular concern around the lack of clear communication during and after the prolonged VAR review.
That dissatisfaction has now prompted Barcelona to take formal action, with a complaint set to be submitted to the federation as they seek answers and accountability from the relevant authorities.
While the result on the night leaves the Blaugrana facing an uphill task in the return leg, the fallout from the refereeing controversy looks set to continue long after the final whistle.
‼️ NOTÍCIA QTJ
El Barça està preparant una queixa formal pel gol anul·lat a Cubarsí contra l’Atlético de Madrid al Metropolitano
El club està molt molest per la decisió i per la manera com es va prendre
Enviarà la queixa demà dissabte a la RFEF#FCBlive pic.twitter.com/MKKlURlPM4
— Què T’hi Jugues (@QueThiJugues) February 13, 2026
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