Barcelona plans to file a new complaint against UEFA referees after their Champions League exit, which president Joan Laporta calls 'intolerable'. They lost to Atletico Madrid 3-2 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.
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Barcelona to file new complaint against UEFA referees after Champions League exit
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has vowed to file a new complaint to UEFA about their referees, describing them as âintolerableâ after his sideâs Champions League exit.
The Catalan giants were sent packing in the quarter final by La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid, losing 3-2 on aggregate after a mouth-watering second leg clash at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
Barcelona secured a 2-1 victory on the night, but it wasnât enough to turn the tie on its head following their 2-0 defeat in the first leg at Spotify Camp Nou.
Lamine Yamal got the La Liga champions-elect underway with a goal in the fourth minute.
The possibility of pulling off a stunning âremontadaâ was strengthened by Ferran Torres, who got Barcelona level on aggregate just 20 minutes later.
However, Ademola Lookman restored Atleticoâs aggregate lead just after the half-hour mark.
Torres was denied a brace by a VAR review just before the hour mark, then things went from bad to worse for Barcelona when Eric Garcia was sent off for a professional last-man foul.
Barcelona held on to secure a win but ultimately bowed out of the Champions League, leaving the club and its president fuming at the match officials.
Laporta had already filed a complaint after the 2-0 first-leg defeat, where, coincidentally, Barcelona also had a player sent off. But he didnât get a response from UEFA.
Speaking at an event in Barcelona, Laporta made it clear that heâll be launching a new complaint to UEFA after blaming the referees for his sideâs Champions League exit.
âFirst of all, I want to congratulate Atletico de Madrid,â he said (via Ojogo).
âBut that doesnât change the fact that yesterdayâs refereeing, both by the referee and the VAR, was a disgrace. What they did to us is intolerable.
Barcelona is filing a complaint due to perceived intolerable officiating during their Champions League quarter-final exit.
Barcelona lost to Atletico Madrid 3-2 on aggregate in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Barcelona's president, Joan Laporta, described the referees as 'intolerable' following their Champions League exit.
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âIn the first leg, they didnât award us a clear penalty and sent off a player [Pau CubarsĂ] with a red card when it was only a yellow, because Giuliano didnât have control of the ball. The red card hurt us a lot.
âIn the second leg, Eric GarcĂa [who was sent off] wasnât the last man, [Jules] KoundĂ© was coming on. The referee showed a yellow card, and VAR made him correct it.
âFerranâs goal was valid, the penalty on [Dani] Olmo was obvious, the aggression against FermĂn [Lopez] is intolerable because he split his entire upper lip open and then showed a card to Gavi.
âThe kid was suffering while they stitched him up, and not even a card. Itâs unacceptable.â
Barcelona will return to La Liga action with a home clash against Celta Vigo as they look to see out the title race. Theyâre leading by nine points with seven games left.