Champions League: Barcelona files new complaint over accumulation of errors by referees

Furious about the refereeing in the Champions League quarter-finals, FC Barcelona filed a new complaint with UEFA on Thursday. This Tuesday, the Catalan club was eliminated by Atlético de Madrid despite a victory with a numerical disadvantage (2-1).

This is another complaint from FC Barcelona. Following their defeat on April 8 against Atlético de Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals, the Catalan club filed a complaint with UEFA to criticize the refereeing. This Thursday, Barcelona did the same after the second leg match.

The complaint from the first leg was rejected a few hours before the second leg quarter-final on Tuesday. French referee Clément Turpin was in charge for this match at Camp Nou. “FC Barcelona filed a complaint with UEFA regarding the refereeing of the Champions League quarter-final against Atlético de Madrid,” the club leaders stated in a press release.

Winning the second leg (2-1) but being eliminated from the competition, FC Barcelona “believes that, in both matches of this double confrontation, several refereeing decisions were made in violation of the laws of the game, resulting from an incorrect application of the regulations and insufficient intervention of the VAR system in situations of clear importance.”

Barcelona “offers to collaborate” with UEFA to improve refereeing

In the first leg quarter-final, FC Barcelona strongly criticized a handball not called in the penalty area. As in the first leg, Hansi Flick’s team also finished with 10 players in the return leg. “According to FC Barcelona, the accumulation of these errors had a direct impact on the course of the matches and the final result of the double confrontation, causing significant sporting and financial damage to the club,” the Catalan club reiterated.

From this Wednesday, Joan Laporta explained what he believed were the different refereeing errors, both from Clément Turpin and video assistance. “Through this complaint, the club reiterates the requests previously made to UEFA and, at the same time, offers to collaborate with the organization in order to improve the refereeing system to ensure a more rigorous, fair, and transparent application of the laws of the game,” FC Barcelona concluded.

On Tuesday night, Raphinha referred to it as a “stolen match.” “The decisions they made are unbelievable. Atlético committed countless fouls without the referee showing any yellow cards,” complained the Brazilian player from the Catalan club. Leading La Liga after 31 matchdays, with a nine-point lead over Real Madrid, FC Barcelona will be back next Wednesday, hosting Celta Vigo in the league.