Barcelona’s anger has now turned into action following the controversial scenes that overshadowed their Champions League defeat earlier this week.
After falling 2-0 to Atletico de Madrid in the first leg of their quarter-final clash at the Spotify Camp Nou, the Catalan giants have made their stance clear.
The result itself was damaging, but it was the officiating that truly ignited frustration inside the club.
Referee Istvan Kovacs came under intense scrutiny following several decisions during the match, none more significant than a second-half incident involving Atlético defender Marc Pubill.
With play already restarted by goalkeeper Juan Musso, Pubill handled the ball inside his own penalty area — a moment that appeared to meet the criteria for both a penalty and a second yellow card.
Neither was given.
The decision, along with the lack of VAR intervention, left Barcelona furious, and they have now responded formally.
“FC Barcelona announces that, today, the Club’s legal department has filed a formal complaint with UEFA regarding the events that occurred in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Atletico Madrid,” the statement on their website read.
“The Club believes that the referee’s performance was contrary to the regulations in force, directly impacting the course of the match and its outcome.”
Barcelona made it clear that the Pubill incident sits at the heart of their complaint.
“The complaint focuses on a specific incident. In the 54th minute of the match, after play had properly restarted, an opposing player handled the ball inside the penalty area, yet no penalty was awarded.
“FC Barcelona believes this decision, along with the serious failure of VAR to intervene, constitutes a significant error.”
The club are not just seeking acknowledgment, they want transparency.
“Consequently, the club has requested an investigation, access to the referee’s communications, and, if necessary, official acknowledgment of the errors and the implementation of appropriate measures,” the statement continued.
This latest move also reflects a deeper frustration within the club regarding refereeing in European competition.
“In this same vein, FC Barcelona believes that this is not the first time that, in recent editions of the UEFA Champions League, incomprehensible refereeing decisions have seriously harmed the team, creating a clear comparative disadvantage and preventing them from competing on equal terms with other clubs.”
By escalating the situation to UEFA, Barcelona have taken a rare but significant step, underlining just how strongly they feel about what unfolded.
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