Barcelona File Official Complaint to UEFA Over Champions League Officiating
Barcelona have filed a formal complaint to UEFA following their Champions League quarter-final first leg defeat to Atletico Madrid, citing "serious officiating errors." The club announced the official appeal on its website, contesting several decisions made by Romanian referee István Kovács during their 2-0 defeat at the Camp Nou.
The complaint focuses on a key incident in the 54th minute of the match, which Barcelona lost 2-0 to goals from Atletico's Alvarez and Sørloth. The club specifically contests a moment early in the second half when, after play had been stopped, an Atletico Madrid player handled the ball inside his own penalty area. Barcelona argue a penalty should have been awarded. The club's statement asserts that the failure to award a penalty, coupled with a lack of intervention from the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), constitutes a "gross error."
In their official statement, Barcelona claimed, "The club believes that the refereeing did not meet the required standards, directly influencing the course of the match and the final result." The appeal specifically requests that UEFA open an investigation, grant the club access to the referees' communications, and officially acknowledge the errors. The club's statement further argues this is not an isolated incident, suggesting a pattern of decisions in recent Champions League campaigns that have negatively impacted the team.
The 2-0 defeat leaves Barcelona with a difficult task in the second leg at the Wanda Metropolitano. The club's formal protest, while unlikely to alter the first-leg result, signals a significant escalation in their ongoing dissatisfaction with officiating. The appeal to European football's governing body marks a formal, public challenge to the match officials' performance. UEFA will now review the complaint, though a formal investigation is not guaranteed. The outcome of the appeal, and any potential sanctions or acknowledgments from UEFA, are expected to be communicated in the coming days.
