Barcelona to file UEFA complaint over penalty incident in Atletico defeat
Barcelona have announced they will file a complaint with UEFA over a key refereeing decision in their 2-0 home defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday. The club has also requested an investigation into the officiating of the match.
The Catalan club released a statement on Thursday confirming they had lodged a formal complaint with European football's governing body. The club's grievance stems from a first-half incident where Atletico defender Reinildo Mandava appeared to handle the ball inside his own penalty area. No penalty was awarded, and a VAR check did not overturn the on-field decision of no penalty.
According to Barcelona, the club has formally requested access to the VAR audio recordings and communications between the on-field officials and the video assistant referee. The club's statement said they consider the officiating to have had a direct impact on the result of the match, which ended 2-0 in favor of the visitors from Madrid.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick had already expressed his frustration immediately after the match. In his post-game press conference, the German coach was vocal in his criticism, stating that the handball incident was a clear penalty and that the failure to award it was a decisive moment in the tie. The club's official complaint appears to be a formal escalation of the manager's post-match comments.
Barcelona's defeat leaves them third in their Champions League group, having failed to win any of their first two matches in the competition. The loss to Atletico was their first at home in the Champions League group stage in over two years, ending a 14-match unbeaten run in the competition at their own stadium. The club's statement and formal complaint mark a significant escalation in their ongoing dissatisfaction with the officiating, as they seek to overturn what they deem a critical error that influenced the outcome of a crucial European fixture.
