Barcelona midfielder Pedri has called on European football governing body UEFA to look into referee Szymon Marciniak’s performance during his team’s Champions League semi-final second leg defeat to Inter Milan.
The Spaniard claims the Catalans were unfairly treated, with every fifty-fifty decision going the way of the Nerazzurri. “This isn’t the first time this has happened to us with this referee, and I think UEFA should look into it. There are things that are hard to explain,” Pedri told reporters after the match.
He added, “There were many situations: every 50/50 went their way, and on the penalty on Lamine, which was later called a foul—he didn’t give Mkhitaryan a yellow card, which would’ve been his second.”
There were several controversial moments in the match, with VAR intervening on some key decisions. Pau Cubarsi’s tackle on Lautaro Martinez in first-half stoppage time led to Inter receiving a penalty from which Hakan Calhanoglu scored.
Also, a penalty claim in the second half was overturned by VAR after Lamine Yamal was brought down in the area.
Barca boss Hansi Flick also backed Pedri’s claims: “I know that everyone’s disappointed now that we’re out, but it’s because we invested a lot in this match. We came back again (into the game), and I think some decisions, like the 50/50 were always for Inter, but it’s like that, we have to accept it. It’s football.”
Flick also said, “I’m proud of my team, we gave everything, and sometimes you fell like it’s unfair because some decisions the referee made were not for our side, but it’s like that.
“We have to accept it, and we’ll start again next season. Winning the Champions League is one of our goals, because the fans deserve it. We’ll be back next season in the Champions League.”