FC Barcelona forward Raphinha launched a scathing attack on the refereeing after his side’s UEFA Champions League campaign ended in the quarter-finals against Atlético Madrid.
Despite a 2–1 win in the second leg, Barcelona fell 3–2 on aggregate, unable to overturn their first-leg deficit.
“For me, this match was a robbery, not just this one, but the other one as well,” Raphinha said, as quoted by BBC. “The refereeing was really bad, the decisions are unbelievable.”
The Brazilian winger, who missed both legs due to injury, didn’t hold back as he questioned the officiating across the tie. He pointed out what he felt was inconsistent decision-making, particularly around fouls and disciplinary actions.
“I don’t know how many fouls Atlético made, but not a single yellow card was given. I really want to understand why there’s so much fear about Barcelona winning,” he added.
Raphinha also suggested a recurring pattern in the refereeing decisions over both matches, calling for greater accountability.
“It’s tough when you feel you have to work three times harder to win. Mistakes can happen, but when they keep repeating in the same way, it’s something that needs attention,” he said.
VAR drama in Barcelona vs Atlético Madrid tie
The two-legged clash was marred by VAR-related decisions, with Barcelona reduced to 10 men in both games. Pau Cubarsí was sent off in the first leg by István Kovács, while Eric García saw red in the return leg under Clément Turpin, both dismissals coming after VAR upgrades for denying goal-scoring opportunities.
Barcelona were also left frustrated by a first-leg incident involving Marc Pubill, where a potential handball inside the box went unpunished, with VAR official Christian Dingert opting not to intervene.
The club formally complained to UEFA, citing a “grave lack” of VAR involvement. However, the governing body dismissed the protest as inadmissible.
The defeat extends Barcelona’s wait for a Champions League title to 11 years, while Atlético Madrid move into the semi-finals, continuing their pursuit of a maiden European crown after finishing runners-up on three occasions.