It was in the 54th minute of the LDC quarter-final first leg between Barcelona and Atlético Madrid that the Catalans no longer understood the world of (Site notre bureau spécialisé).
Atleti’s Marc Pubill grabbed the ball with his hand after a low kick from goalkeeper Juan Musso, only to take another goal kick. Despite the clear handball, Istvan Kovacs decided to continue playing and VAR did not intervene in the situation.
Even though there was no penalty whistle in a similar situation between Arsenal and Bayern in 2024, FC Barcelona protested against this decision tonight.
An official letter from the club states: « The club’s legal department has today lodged a complaint with UEFA regarding the events that occurred during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg against Atlético Madrid. The club believes that the refereeing did not comply with the applicable rules and therefore directly influenced the progress of the match and its result. »
The Catalans also demanded access to the referee’s communication and, if necessary, an official acknowledgment of errors and the taking of appropriate measures.
It remains to be seen how UEFA will react to the protest. In any case, a quick decision must be made. The two teams will meet next Tuesday for the second leg of the quarter-finals from 9 p.m.
JOSEP LAGO – AFP or licensors