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Laporta denounces refereeing errors after Barça’s Champions exit
FC Barcelona’s Champions League elimination has reignited the refereeing controversy. Joan Laporta has harshly criticised decisions made during the tie against Atlético de Madrid, pointing to several moments that, according to the club, affected the result.
The president has pointed in particular to the first leg, where he believes a penalty in Barça's favour was not awarded and a sending-off was excessive. He also questions the VAR intervention, which turned a yellow card into a red at a key moment of the match.
In the second leg, the criticism has focused on another sending-off that the club considers unjustified, as well as several controversial incidents. These include a disallowed goal, a possible penalty that was not awarded and an action that Laporta interprets as an unsanctioned assault.
The club lodged a formal complaint with UEFA, but it was rejected as inadmissible. The response has increased tension between the two sides and led Barça to demand public explanations.
The episode has once again placed refereeing at the centre of football's debate. Elimination not only puts the team out of the competition, but also opens up a new institutional front.
The controversy extends to bars, social media and everyday conversations, where the match continues to generate debate. It also influences the sporting atmosphere of the week, with greater media attention and scrutiny of refereeing decisions. For many fans, the feeling of injustice shapes how the elimination is experienced beyond the result. The case reopens a recurring debate about the role of refereeing in European competitions.