Barcelona files new complaint with UEFA over refereeing decisions in Champions League clash with Atlético Madrid
Barcelona has submitted a formal complaint to UEFA regarding refereeing decisions in their Champions League quarter-final elimination by Atlético Madrid, alleging multiple incidents where match officials failed to apply the laws of the game correctly.
The Spanish club announced the latest grievance on Thursday, just two days after UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin dismissed their initial protest concerning a disputed handball by Atlético’s Axel Pubill against goalkeeper Musso as “inadmissible.” In a public statement released through official channels, Barcelona asserted that “several decisions throughout the two legs did not conform to the laws of the game, resulting from an incorrect application of the regulations and inadequate intervention by the VAR system in clearly significant moments.”
The complaint specifically references three contentious episodes: a potential penalty for a challenge by Atlético’s Marcos Llorente on Barcelona’s Dani Olmo, an alleged handball by Clément Lenglet inside the penalty area prior to Ferran Torres’ disallowed goal for offside, and the dismissal of defender Eric García during the second leg in Madrid.
Barcelona finished both matches with ten men following the red cards shown to Pau Cubarsi in the first leg and Eric García in the return fixture. The club maintains that the accumulation of these errors directly influenced the flow and outcome of the ties, causing “significant sporting and financial damage,” according to their statement.
The second leg, officiated by French referee Clément Turpin, ended in a 2-1 victory for Barcelona at the Metropolitano Stadium, though it was insufficient to overturn the 3-2 aggregate deficit. Turpin has been at the center of the controversy, with Barcelona questioning his judgment and the VAR team’s involvement in key incidents.
This marks the second formal submission from Barcelona to UEFA concerning officiating in this Champions League tie, reflecting growing frustration within the club over what they perceive as persistent errors affecting high-stakes European matches.
As of now, UEFA has not issued a public response to the latest complaint. The governing body typically reviews such submissions through its refereeing department before determining whether any further action, such as disciplinary measures against officials or procedural reviews, is warranted.
The outcome of this appeal could have implications beyond the immediate fixture, potentially influencing how UEFA assesses referee performance and VAR utilization in future knockout-stage matches. For now, Barcelona shifts focus to La Liga and Copa del Rey commitments whereas awaiting a ruling from European football’s governing authority.
Archysport will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as they become available from official sources.
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