UEFA Dismisses Barcelona’s Appeal Regarding Refereeing Decisions
In a decision announced on Tuesday, the UEFA governing body has officially rejected FC Barcelona’s complaint concerning the officiating during their recent Champions League quarter-final match against Atlético Madrid. This dispute arose following Barcelona’s 2-0 defeat at home in the first leg of the tournament.
The incident at the center of the complaint involved Atlético Madrid’s goalkeeper, Juan Musso, who reportedly resumed play from a goal kick leading to a sequence where Barcelona defender Marc Pubill handled the ball within the six-yard area. Despite Barcelona appealing for a penalty, referee Istvan Kovacs opted to allow play to continue, with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team also failing to intervene by notifying Kovacs to review the play.
On April 13, 2026, just days after the match, Barcelona submitted a formal protest regarding the referee’s decision-making process. However, UEFA’s Control, Ethics, and Disciplinary Body quickly ruled the protest inadmissible, stating, “Following the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg played on April 8, 2026, between FC Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid, FC Barcelona filed a protest relating to a referee decision. On 13 April 2026, the UEFA Control Ethics and Disciplinary Body declared the protest to be inadmissible,” as per the official statement released by UEFA.
As the teams prepare to meet again for the second leg of the quarter-finals, the stakes are high for both clubs. Barcelona seeks redemption while Atlético aims to secure their position in the next stage of the tournament. The highly anticipated matchup is scheduled for later today, promising an exhilarating continuation of this fierce rivalry.
