Raphinha expressed his anger over Barcelona being “robbed” after witnessing his team’s elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Atlético Madrid on Tuesday.
Although the Brazilian was sidelined due to injury, he made the trip to Madrid to watch Barça bow out of the competition in the quarterfinals, losing 3-2 on aggregate, despite securing a 2-1 victory on the night at the Metropolitano.
Barcelona briefly equalized in the tie thanks to early goals from Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres, but Ademola Lookman‘s goal secured Atlético’s place in the semifinals, where they will face either Arsenal or Sporting Club.
Barcelona’s hopes of forcing extra time faded away late in the match when Eric García received a red card for a foul on Alexander Sørloth, inciting Raphinha’s outrage towards the officiating.
“We were completely robbed in this match,” Raphinha told reporters. “The referee made several questionable calls. I lost count of how many fouls Atlético committed that went unpunished.”
Barcelona had called for a penalty after Dani Olmo was fouled in the first half, yet Raphinha did not single out any specific incident.
This was the second consecutive Champions League match where Barça expressed discontent with refereeing, leading the club to lodge a formal complaint with UEFA over a penalty denial and the failure to send Marc Pubill off in their previous game. UEFA deemed the complaint “inadmissible” earlier that same day.
“It’s human to make a mistake once, but it’s frustrating to see it happen in consecutive matches,” Raphinha continued. “We performed exceptionally well, yet this tie was taken from us.”
“It’s disheartening to realize that we have to work three times harder to secure a victory. I truly wish to understand why [the referee] seems hesitant to let us advance.”
Following a 2-0 defeat in the first leg at Spotify Camp Nou last week, Barça aimed to turn the tide quickly at the Metropolitano.
Despite finishing the tie with more shots on target (15 to 8) and a better xG (3.38 to 2.08) than Atlético, they faced elimination, with coach Hansi Flick asserting they deserved a spot in the semifinals.
“Our first half tonight was outstanding,” he stated during a press conference. “We should have scored more goals. It was certainly achievable.”
“Considering both matches, we rightfully earned our place in the semifinals. However, we have to accept the outcome. I am proud of the mentality and attitude the players exhibited on the pitch.”
Barcelona also faced elimination from the Copa del Rey at the hands of Atlético last month. Nevertheless, their season is far from over. They clinched the Spanish Supercopa in January and currently hold a nine-point lead in La Liga with seven matches remaining. “The next goal is to win La Liga,” Flick added. “We are making progress. It’s not over yet; we still have more games to play.”
“Certainly, we feel disappointment at this moment; that’s only natural. Winning the Champions League is a tremendous dream for us. We must learn from our experiences and work on areas for improvement, but we’re a young team and will develop for the next season ahead.”
“I understand the disappointment everyone is feeling; I’m disappointed too. However, that’s football and life. We must bounce back.”