Follow Us on Google
By John Ogunsemore
Barcelona have filed a formal complaint with the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) following their 4-0 thrashing by Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg, citing ongoing concerns over refereeing standards and VAR decisions.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the club said the complaint was sent to the federation’s president, the head of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA), the VAR chief, and the director of legal affairs.
On Thursday night, Hansi Flick’s side lost 4-0 to Atleti in a tension-soaked game in which they had a goal from Pau Cubarsi ruled out in a very controversial manner, while a potential red card on Giuliano Simeone for a foul went overlooked.
Reports indicated Flick and the club hierarchy were incensed by the decisions, which they felt prevented what could have been a come-back.
Other News
In their complaint, Barcelona expressed “deep concern over repeated refereeing decisions deemed damaging to the game and lacking consistent criteria.”
The club noted several key issues, including a lack of consistency in disciplinary actions, contradictory interpretations of handball rules, an accumulation of significant errors throughout the season, doubts about VAR’s transparency, and unclear criteria for on-field reviews.
“The initiative does not question the professionalism of referees but calls for a review to ensure consistency, equal treatment, and credibility of competitions,” the statement reads.
The club also urged the full publication of VAR audio recordings for greater transparency and proposed a specific disciplinary code for referees to address serious errors.
“This proposal is not solely intended to defend the club’s own interests, but is framed within a broader commitment to contribute to the proper overall functioning of the competition and to the benefit of all clubs, with the objective of preventing similar situations from recurring and ensuring a clear, stable, and equitable framework of action for all,” Barcelona said.
The defeat at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium marked one of Barcelona’s heaviest in recent years, leaving Flick’s side with a mountain to climb in the second leg at Camp Nou on March 3.
