The president of FC Barcelona, Joan Laporta, has announced that the club will file another official complaint with UEFA following controversial refereeing decisions during Tuesday’s Champions League match against Atlético Madrid.
Barcelona was eliminated from the competition after their 1-2 victory away against Atlético Madrid failed to overturn a 0-2 loss from the first-leg. After the initial match, the club had already lodged a formal protest over a handball that was denied as a penalty, but UEFA rejected the complaint.
Speaking to the Spanish newspaper Marca on Wednesday, Laporta criticised UEFA’s refusal of the initial complaint and confirmed plans for a new one.
“Barça demands an explanation for why that complaint was dismissed," he said, "and interim President Rafa Yuste has informed me that a new complaint will be submitted because what happened yesterday was unacceptable.”
The upcoming complaint will focus on several refereeing decisions during the second-leg tie, which the Catalan club believes were erroneous.
Laporta contends that defender Eric García should not have been sent off for his challenge on Atlético striker Alexander Sorloth. He also argued against the disallowing of a goal by Ferran Torres for offside.
“The referees made decisions that hurt us deeply,” Laporta stated. “In the return match, Eric García wasn’t the last man; Jules Koundé was coming back to cover.
"The referee initially gave a yellow card, but the VAR pressured him to change it. Ferran’s goal was legitimate, the penalty on Dani Olmo was clear, and Fermin López’s injury due to a tackle was outrageous—he had his upper split lip open, and suffered during the stitches, yet no card was issued. This is unacceptable.”
