Injured Barcelona forward Raphinha has delivered a blistering assessment of the match officials following the Catalan club’s elimination from the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Atletico Madrid. Despite being unable to take the pitch due to a fitness setback, the Brazilian international traveled to the Cívitas Metropolitano to support his teammates, only to witness a night marred by controversial refereeing decisions that ultimately saw the Blaugrana exit the competition.
The quarter-final second leg saw Hansi Flick’s side mount a spirited comeback, with Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres finding the net to level the aggregate score. However, a decisive strike from Ademola Lookman ensured the Madrid side progressed with a 3-2 total scoreline. The tension reached a boiling point when Eric García was dismissed for a foul on Alexander Sørloth, a decision that triggered Raphinha’s public outcry against the standard of officiating in the Spanish capital.
“It was a complete robbery. The referee faced numerous issues. There were astonishing decisions. I cannot comprehend how many fouls Atlético Madrid committed without receiving a card,” the winger stated in a fiery post-match critique.
The sense of injustice within the Barcelona camp was further exacerbated by a denied penalty claim for Dani Olmo during the first half. This latest friction with UEFA officials marks a recurring theme for the club, coming shortly after the governing body dismissed a separate formal grievance regarding officiating in their previous European fixture. Raphinha suggested that the consistent nature of these errors has made it nearly impossible for the team to succeed on the continental stage.
“It is human to err, but for it to occur again. We played exceptionally well, yet they deprived us of the tie. It appears we must exert three times the effort to secure a victory,” he emphasized, reflecting the growing exasperation within the dressing room.
As Barcelona turns their focus back to domestic duties, the fallout from this quarter-final exit is expected to linger. The club continues to feel targeted by inconsistent rulings, while Atletico Madrid prepares for a semi-final berth, leaving the Blaugrana to lament what they perceive as a campaign derailed by external factors.
