FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta has confirmed that the club will submit a new formal complaint to UEFA regarding controversial referee and VAR decisions in their UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie against Atlético Madrid.
Speaking after Barcelona’s elimination from the competition, Laporta expressed strong dissatisfaction with the officiating across both legs and revealed that the club refuses to accept UEFA’s recent dismissal of their previous protest.
Laporta: “We Can NOT Accept This”
“We already did a complaint to UEFA and I believe we will do another one,” Laporta stated. “We can NOT accept this.”
The first complaint, filed after the first leg (played on April 8, 2026), focused primarily on a clear handball inside the penalty area by Atlético defender Marc Pubill that was not penalized, despite VAR review. UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body declared that initial protest “inadmissible” on April 13, 2026.
Laporta and the club maintain that the refereeing errors — including the missed handball, along with other disputed decisions in the second leg — had a direct impact on the tie’s outcome and Barcelona’s exit from the Champions League.
Context of the Refereeing Controversy
Barcelona’s frustration stems from multiple incidents during the quarter-final:
- First leg (Barcelona 0-2 Atlético Madrid): A blatant handball by Pubill in the box went unpunished. Referee Istvan Kovacs and the VAR team allowed play to continue, sparking immediate outrage from Hansi Flick and the Barça players.
- Second leg: Further controversial calls, including a red card to Eric García, a disallowed goal for Ferran Torres, and an unawarded penalty on Dani Olmo, added to the club’s grievances.
Laporta had previously described the officiating as “unacceptable” and rejected any claims of favorable treatment toward Barcelona, calling such suggestions “shameless.”
The club’s legal team is now preparing a second formal submission to UEFA, demanding greater accountability, transparency in VAR decisions, and recognition of the errors that affected the match.