A Barcelona defender expressed frustration over controversial refereeing decisions following their Champions League loss to Inter Milan.
Defender Eric Garcia spoke sincerely after the match about the defeat and the effort the team gave, which came in a game that featured some controversial decisions that ultimately decided the match, according to Mundo Deportivo.
Garcia focused, in particular, on the character of the squad, especially in the second half after going into half time down 2-0 and mounting a comeback over the 90 minutes to level in the 93rd minute.
“The character of this team is incredible,” Garcia said while praising the team for how well they played in the second half.
However, the goal in the 93rd minute wasn’t enough, because Inter Milan won on aggregate.
Eric Garcia mentioned luck being a factor, saying overall, “Football has been incredibly cruel to us as I reflected on the luck we had during the tie.”
He also mentioned that he has unpleasant memories of the San Siro, saying that “The 3 times I’ve come here, it just hasn’t gone my way.”
Nonetheless, the defender’s anger was highest towards referee Szymon Marciniak, and Garcia wasted no time stating his feelings over the Polish referee.
He accused the Polish referee of poor officiating, referring to how it directly affected Barcelona negatively, “We all know what happened with this referee last time., Garcia alluded to the ‘double touch’ call that was made on Julian Alvarez against Real Madrid last time.
Garcia indicated there were similar issues with the officiating of the tie, as Barcelona faced some of the same issues, in addition to those already in the tie.
While there was heartbreak, Garcia wanted to remain positive and share how this loss would not derail their season.
As Barcelona prepares for El Clasico, he said, “This is not going to affect us.
There are no transitional years in Barcelona.
The team comes out much stronger and even more so with this fan base.”
His statements demonstrate a group who are motivated to translate their Champions League pain into domestic success, beginning with their next monumental test.
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