Barcelona forward Raphinha has branded the refereeing in their Champions League quarter-final defeat to Atletico Madrid “a robbery.”
Barca exited 3–2 on aggregate despite a 2–1 win in Tuesday’s second leg, having lost the first leg 2–0 at home. In both matches a Barcelona defender was sent off after a yellow card was upgraded to red when the referee, on VAR advice, reviewed a potential denial of a goalscoring opportunity on the pitchside monitor.
Pau Cubarsi was dismissed by Istvan Kovacs in the first leg, while fellow defender Eric Garcia was sent off by French referee Clement Turpin in the second.
Kovacs and video assistant referee Christian Dingert were also criticised by Barcelona after they allowed play to continue when Atletico defender Marc Pubill handled the ball in his own penalty area from what appeared to be a goal-kick situation.
Raphinha, who missed both games through injury, told reporters after the return leg: “For me, this match was a robbery. Not just this match but the other one as well. The refereeing was really bad, the decisions he makes are unbelievable.”
He claimed Atletico committed numerous fouls without receiving a single yellow card in the second leg and questioned why officials seemed “so afraid that Barcelona will come and win.” Atletico had no bookings on Tuesday, while Barca picked up one yellow card as well as Garcia’s red.
Barcelona filed a complaint to UEFA over what they called a “grave lack of VAR intervention” on the Pubill handball, but European football’s governing body ruled the protest “inadmissible.”
“It was tough, especially when you realise you have to work three times as hard to win the match,” Raphinha added, saying the tie felt “misleading” and arguing that repeated errors “in exactly the same way” must be scrutinised.
UEFA said its disciplinary body will review reports from the game before deciding on any next steps, including a possible charge against the former Leeds United winger for his comments.
Atletico goalkeeper Juan Musso rejected Raphinha’s allegations, calling them “ridiculous” and insisting: “We won on the pitch, 2–0 away, and when you’re the last man back, you get a red card.”
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