FC Barcelona Lodge UEFA Complaint Over Unreviewed Handball In Atlético Madrid Defeat

According to Ireporter Online, FC Barcelona have officially lodged a formal complaint with UEFA following a controversial unreviewed handball incident during their 2-0 UEFA Champions League quarter-final first-leg defeat to Atlético Madrid.

The incident occurred in the 54th minute of the match played in Barcelona, with the visitors already leading 1-0. Atlético defender Marc Pubill was seen appearing to handle a pass from goalkeeper Juan Musso while attempting to control the ball before proceeding with a goal kick. Despite strong appeals from Barcelona players and technical staff, Romanian referee István Kovács allowed play to continue, with no penalty awarded.

The decision sparked immediate outrage from the Barcelona bench, who protested the lack of intervention from the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. In an official statement, the Catalan club expressed strong dissatisfaction, arguing that the officiating failed to comply with the Laws of the Game and had a direct impact on both the flow and outcome of the match.

Barcelona further criticised the VAR process, describing the incident as a “major error” and questioning the consistency of refereeing decisions in recent UEFA Champions League campaigns. The club also suggested that similar controversial calls in past seasons point to a broader issue of inconsistency and unfair competitive standards at the highest level.

With the defeat leaving them with a two-goal deficit, attention now shifts to the return leg in Madrid next Wednesday, where the five-time European champions must stage a comeback to keep their Champions League hopes alive.