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Barcelona coach Hansi Flick was furious at the decision to not review a handball incident in his team’s 0-2 Champions League quarter-final first-leg loss to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.
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 2024 Aston Villa’s Tyrone Mings was punished for a similar infringement in a UCL defeat to Club Brugge.
Barcelona players remonstrate with the referee during their UCL quarter-final clash with Atletico Madrid on Thursday. Pic/Getty Images
“The VAR was very focused today for Atletico, he’s a German guy, so thanks Germany,” Flick said sarcastically, before adding: “It’s for me a clear red card.”
Flick said the VAR officials should have asked the referee to review the incident, just like they had done earlier in the match when Pau Cubarsi received a red card for a last-man tackle on Atletico’s Giuliano Simeone. “From my perspective it’s clear, VAR has to say, ‘Okay, look at this,’ the same like before. I don’t understand [why they didn’t review it],” added Flick.
Meanwhile, his Atletico Madrid counterpart Diego Simeone hailed his team’s clinical finishing as Julian Alvaraz’s superb free-kick (45th min) and Alexander Sorloth’s 70th minute goal gave them a significant advantage in the tie.
“Through good teamwork, we were able to capitalise on key moments in the match. Today we were extremely clinical,” remarked Simeone.
Four
No. of red cards received by Barca players across last two UCLs; the most by any team
40
No. of matches since Barcelona last failed to score at home across any competition
20
No. of years since Barcelona’s previous loss to Atletico Madrid at the Camp Nou
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