FC Barcelona has lodged a formal complaint with UEFA following their 2-0 Champions League quarter-final first-leg defeat to Atletico Madrid. The club's legal services submitted the complaint on Thursday, citing a controversial incident in the second half.
Barcelona appealed for a penalty when Atletico goalkeeper Juan Musso appeared to handle the ball inside his own six-yard box after restarting play from a goal kick. Referee Istvan Kovacs waved play on, and the VAR team did not intervene, sparking strong reactions from the Barcelona bench.
The club stated that the decision, coupled with a "grave lack of intervention by VAR," represents a "major error." Barcelona has requested an investigation, access to refereeing communications, and official acknowledgment of the errors.
The complaint centers on a specific action in the 54th minute where an opponent allegedly handled the ball in their area after play had been restarted. Interpretations of similar incidents have seen varied outcomes in recent Champions League matches.