Joan Laporta, the president of Barcelona, criticized the “disgraceful” officiating that he believes contributed to the team’s elimination from the Champions League quarterfinals against Atlético Madrid, vowing to escalate the issue to UEFA.
Although Barça secured a 2-1 victory at Metropolitano Stadium, they were knocked out with a 3-2 aggregate score after losing 2-0 in the first leg at Spotify Camp Nou.
Injured forward Raphinha expressed that Barça had been “robbed,” an assertion supported by Laporta on Wednesday.
Laporta extended his congratulations to Atlético for making it to the semifinals but maintained his stance on the refereeing. “The officiating was unacceptable. In the first leg, a penalty was missed for a handball by Marc Pubill, and Pau Cubarsí received a red card when it should only have been yellow, as Giuliano Simeone didn’t have control of the ball,” he noted.
He added, “The referee initially showed a yellow card, but VAR intervened, leading to a red that significantly harmed our chances. Refereeing decisions have greatly influenced this tie. In the second leg, the same issues arose.”
Following the first leg, Barça submitted an official complaint to UEFA, primarily highlighting the missed penalty for Pubill’s handball. They also believed Pubill should have been sent off but very recently, UEFA deemed the complaint “inadmissible.”
Laporta lamented more questionable decisions in the second leg, including Eric García‘s red card in the 79th minute, Ferran Torres‘ disallowed goal for offside, a penalty appeal for a challenge on Dani Olmo, and a potential foul that left Fermín López with a significant facial injury.
Laporta expressed the club’s intention to continue addressing the officiating standards with UEFA. “For Eric’s red card, Jules Koundé could have reached the ball, so Eric was not the last man,” he stated. “Ferran’s goal was legitimate, there was a clear penalty on Dani Olmo, and the aggression towards Fermín was unacceptable. His lip was badly cut, and no punishment was given. It’s unacceptable.”
Stressing their frustrations, Laporta affirmed that the club will seek further clarification from UEFA and intends to file another complaint regarding the officiating.
Despite an optimistic start with first-half goals from Lamine Yamal and Torres, Barça faltered in the second half. García’s red card forced them to compete with 10 men for the last 15 minutes as they continue to seek their first Champions League title since 2015.
Meanwhile, Atlético, who are yet to claim the prestigious trophy, will move on to face either Arsenal or Sporting CP in the semifinal.
1:12
Are Hansi Flick’s tactics holding Barcelona back?
Stewart Robson discusses Barcelona’s defensive strategies following Eric Garcia’s red card against Atlético Madrid.
After Tuesday’s match, Raphinha made a gesture towards Atlético supporters, seemingly indicating that the rival team would be eliminated in the next round, telling fans “you are out.” Following this, he expressed regret for his actions, which may lead to UEFA consequences. On Wednesday, he commented, “I apologize for my gesture, which does not reflect my values or character. It was an impulsive reaction to a disrespectful fan.”
Teammate Yamal remained hopeful, stating, “We gave our all, but it simply wasn’t enough. This journey requires us to climb, and while it won’t be easy, we refuse to give up. We have reasons to be enthusiastic and will strive forward. Every mistake is an opportunity to learn, and we are determined to improve. We are Barça, and we will return to where we belong. My parents taught me to honor my word, and we are committed to bringing the Champions League to Barcelona.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.