FC Barcelona have formally accused refereeing officials of making “errors” that they believe cost them a place in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, claiming the decisions caused both sporting disappointment and financial damage to the club.
The Spanish side say the controversial officiating across both legs of their quarter-final defeat to Atletico Madrid significantly influenced the outcome of the tie, which they lost 3–2 on aggregate despite winning the second leg 2–1 at home.
As a result, Barcelona have submitted a second official complaint to UEFA regarding what they describe as repeated refereeing mistakes and inconsistent use of VAR across the two matches.
Red cards in both legs spark controversy
A key point of contention for Barcelona is that they had a player sent off in each leg of the tie. In both instances, yellow cards were upgraded to red following VAR intervention, with referees reviewing incidents on pitchside monitors for possible denial of a goalscoring opportunity.
In the first leg, defender Pau Cubarsí was dismissed by referee István Kovács after a VAR review. In the return match, fellow defender Eric García also received a red card, this time shown by referee Clément Turpin after another pitchside review.
Barcelona argue that these decisions had a decisive impact on the flow of both matches, particularly given the high stakes and narrow margin of the tie.
Handball incident also questioned
The club also criticised a separate incident in the first leg involving Atlético defender Marc Pubill, claiming there was a clear handball inside the penalty area. According to Barcelona, both the on-field referee and VAR official Christian Dingert failed to intervene, allowing play to continue without awarding a penalty.
This moment has become another focal point in Barcelona’s wider argument that VAR was inconsistently applied throughout the tie.
Second complaint after earlier rejection
Barcelona had already submitted an earlier protest following the first leg, citing what they described as a “grave lack of VAR intervention.” However, UEFA dismissed that initial complaint as “inadmissible.”
Despite this rejection, the club proceeded with a second formal complaint, reiterating their concerns about officiating standards and decision-making consistency across both matches.
In their statement, Barcelona insisted that “several refereeing decisions were made that did not comply with the laws of the game,” and accused officials of misapplying regulations in key moments.
They further claimed that the combined impact of these incidents “had a direct influence on the course of the matches and the final outcome of the tie,” resulting in what they described as “significant sporting and financial harm.”
Strong reactions from players and staff
The controversy has also drawn emotional responses from within the squad. Forward Raphinha, who missed both legs through injury, publicly criticised the officiating after the second match, calling the tie a “robbery” and suggesting that both games had been unfairly decided.
Barcelona’s official statement echoed this frustration, while also stressing that the club’s intention is not only to challenge decisions but to push for improvements in officiating standards across European competitions.
Call for reform rather than confrontation
Despite the strong language used in their complaint, Barcelona also stated that they are willing to cooperate with UEFA in order to improve refereeing processes. The club emphasised the need for “a more rigorous, fair and transparent application of the laws of the game,” suggesting that their goal is broader reform rather than purely disputing the result.
They also reiterated their request for clearer VAR protocols, particularly in high-pressure situations where red cards or penalty decisions are at stake.
Wider implications
The case has reignited debate around the consistency of VAR use in elite European football. While Barcelona’s exit stands, the club’s formal complaints ensure that the refereeing decisions in this tie will continue to be scrutinised in the weeks ahead.
For UEFA, the challenge remains balancing the authority of match officials with growing demands from clubs for transparency and accountability in decision-making.
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