Barcelona say club has filed UEFA complaint over penalty decision vs. Atletico Madrid

Barcelona have formally lodged a complaint with UEFA after officials refused to award a second-half penalty during their 2-0 Champions League quarter-final first-leg defeat to Atlético Madrid on Wednesday night. The Spanish champions argue that referee Istvan Kovacs and the VAR team committed a “significant error” when they declined to punish Atlético defender Marc Pubill for an apparent handball inside the area.

The flashpoint arrived early in the second half at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. From an Atlético goal kick, goalkeeper Juan Musso rolled the ball to Pubill, who had lined up alongside centre-back partner Robin Le Normand. Replays showed Pubill crouching and using both hands to stop the ball on the edge of the six-yard box before nudging it back to Musso, who then cleared upfield. Several Barcelona players instantly appealed for a penalty, noting that Pubill had already been cautioned in the match; a second yellow for deliberate handball would have reduced the visitors to ten men.

In a strongly worded statement released after the final whistle, the Catalan club said the decision “contravened current regulations, directly affecting the course of the match and its result.” Barcelona requested that UEFA open an investigation, grant access to the officials’ communications, and, “where appropriate,” acknowledge the mistake and adopt “relevant measures.” The statement added that recent Champions League editions have featured “incomprehensible refereeing decisions” that “seriously disadvantaged” the team and “prevented it from competing on equal terms.”

Manager Hansi Flick echoed the club’s frustration while speaking to Movistar TV. “The situation with the handball was very clear,” he said. “I don’t know why VAR did not enter. We all make mistakes, but these types of situations are why we have VAR. I cannot understand because normally it’s a penalty and a second yellow, and red.”

The incident carries added weight because Barcelona were already down to ten men after defender Pau Cubarsí received a straight red card late in the first half for a foul on Giuliano Simeone. Had the spot-kick been given and Pubill dismissed, both sides would have finished the contest a man short.

UEFA guidelines on restarts state that a ball is considered “in play” once the goalkeeper releases it from his hands. Officials in other Champions League fixtures have interpreted similar scenarios differently: Aston Villa were penalised when defender Tyrone Mings handled after Emi Martinez had put the ball into play against Club Brugge in November 2024, while Arsenal’s Gabriel escaped punishment in an April 2024 tie against Bayern Munich.

Julian Alvarez’s curling free-kick and Alexander Sorloth’s close-range finish ultimately sealed a 2-0 victory for Atlético, giving Diego Simeone’s side a commanding lead ahead of next Tuesday’s return leg at the Metropolitano. Barcelona now hope their formal protest will prompt a review that could, at minimum, lead to greater transparency in officiating standards as the competition progresses.

UEFA has yet to respond publicly to the complaint.