Coach Hansi Flick was furious at the decision not to review a strange handball incident in Barcelona’s 2-0 defeat by Atletico Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final first leg.
Atletico defender Marc Pubill touched a ball passed to him by goalkeeper Juan Musso with his hand, to set it still in order to take the goal-kick himself, which Flick said should have been a red card and a penalty.
In the first half VAR intervened to get referee Istvan Kovacs to review an incident involving Barca defender Pau Cubarsi, who was booked for felling Giuliano Simeone as he ran through on goal. After the review Cubarsi was sent off, leaving the Catalans with 10 men for the second half.
“The VAR was very focused today for Atletico, he’s a German guy, so thanks Germany,” former German national team coach Flick said. “It’s for me a clear red card.”
In 2024 Aston Villa’s Tyrone Mings was punished for a similar infringement in a Champions League defeat against Club Brugge.
Flick said the VAR officials should have asked Kovacs to review the incident even as he tried to put the episode behind him.
“We have to accept it and focus [on the second leg],” Flick said. “We have the quality, the players who can decide [this tie] and we have to fight.”
Barca defender Ronald Araujo said it was “absurd but a clear penalty.”
Atletico coach Diego Simeone said the officials were correct not to intervene.
“There’s common sense,” said the Argentine.
“If Marc, who was supposedly receiving a pass to start the play, interpreted it the way he did, and the referee interpreted it the same way Marc did, it’s because there is only common sense about the play.”
Goals from Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth gave Atletico a significant advantage ahead of next week’s second leg in Madrid.
Atletico, who have never won the competition, reached the 2014 and 2016 finals but were beaten by Real Madrid on both occasions.
“We have things to improve and learn from ... we’re happy for the win but there’s a long way to go,” Atletico’s Antoine Griezmann said.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
