Barcelona 2024-25 Champions League campaign ended in heartbreak as they suffered a 4-3 loss to Inter Milan in the semi-final second leg on May 6, 2025, at San Siro, going out 7-6 on aggregate.
In a game that followed a 3-3 draw in the first leg, Barcelona, after trailing 2-0, emerged with a stunning comeback and led 3-2 by the 88th minute.
The Catalans’ spirited display was marred by controversial refereeing decisions that sent players and staff into a frenzy.
The group believed that questionable decisions benefited Inter Milan when it came to their chances of progressing to the final.
Midfielder Pedri clambered for UEFA to investigate referee Szymon Marciniak’s officiating, stating that “this isn’t the first time this has happened to us with this referee and I think UEFA should take a look into this”, as reported by theplayoffs.
Pedri highlighted a couple of incidents related to the match, the penalty issue between Lamine Yamal being downgraded to a free-kick after VAR review, and no second-yellow card for Henrikh Mkhitaryan of Inter, claiming the referee allowed “every 50/50 to go their way.”
Manager Hansi Flick agreed, calling the result “unfair” due to the officiating, while defender Eric Garcia hinted at Marciniak’s troubling history, especially on decisions favoring Real Madrid.
The controversial calls included a penalty awarded to Inter for a foul by Pau Cubarsi – they said it was a harsh call – and a handball penalty denied when Dani Olmo’s shot went into Acerbi’s arm.
Meanwhile, scrutiny of VAR and referee standards has heightened.
While Barcelona prepares for El Clásico, Pedri’s call for UEFA to take action certainly makes sense, though there was no formal investigation confirmed as of May 7, 2025.
This issue reflects the growing animosity that is becoming the norm with important matches in European football.
Want to get the latest Barcelona news direct to your phone? Join our WhatsApp community by clicking here.
