Barcelona lodge formal complaint with UEFA over refereeing in Atletico defeat
Barcelona have lodged a formal complaint with UEFA over the standard of refereeing in their 2-0 home defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, the club confirmed on Thursday. The La Liga club has also requested access to the referee's audio communications and a review of the officials' performance.
The complaint centers on a key first-half incident where Atletico defender Marc Pubill appeared to handle the ball inside his own penalty area following a pass from his goalkeeper. No penalty was awarded, and no VAR review was initiated. Barcelona manager Hansi Flick was visibly incensed by the decision, which came with his side already a goal down. The club's official statement, released on Thursday, argued the officiating had a "direct impact on the match and its result."
In a statement, Barcelona said, "The club considers that the refereeing was contrary to the regulations in force, with a direct impact on the course of the match and its result. Consequently, the club has requested an investigation, access to the referee's communications, and, if applicable, the official recognition of the errors and the implementation of appropriate measures." This formal complaint follows Flick's post-match criticism, where he labelled the non-call "incomprehensible."
The incident, which occurred with Atletico leading 1-0, was not reviewed by the video assistant referee, a point of major contention for the Catalan club. Barcelona's defeat, which ended their Champions League campaign, was sealed by a late second goal from Atletico. The club's decision to escalate the matter to UEFA underscores the high tensions and financial stakes of European competition, where officiating decisions are increasingly scrutinized. The focus now shifts to UEFA's response, as Barcelona seek an official review of the performance of the match officials.
