Furious Barcelona star blasts referee after UCL heartbreak: ‘It’s a stolen match’
· Yahoo Sports
The fallout from Barcelona’s Champions League elimination at the hands of Atletico Madrid continues to intensify, with emotions spilling over in the mixed zone after the final whistle.
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While Barcelona produced a strong performance on the night, it was not enough to overturn the aggregate deficit, leaving several players visibly frustrated, particularly over refereeing decisions.
One of the most vocal reactions came from Raphinha, who missed the match due to injury but travelled with the squad to support his teammates.
Watching from the sidelines clearly did little to ease his emotions, as the winger did not hold back when addressing the media after the game.
Speaking with raw frustration, Raphinha made a bold claim about the outcome of the tie. “It’s a stolen match,” he said.
“To make a mistake is human, but for it to happen again in the second leg? We played very well, but this tie has been stolen from us.”
More from Raphinha and Gavi
The Brazilian went further, directly criticising the officiating and suggesting that key decisions consistently went against Barcelona.
Expanding on his statement, Raphinha added, “The refereeing was full of problems; the decisions he made were unbelievable.
Barcelona players were not happy with the referee. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
“Atletico committed I don’t know how many fouls and the referee didn’t show them a single yellow card.
“I really want to understand his fear that Barça might have gone through.”
While Raphinha’s reaction was direct, Gavi offered a more measured perspective, focusing on the footballing aspect of the tie.
The young midfielder acknowledged Barcelona’s overall performance but admitted that inefficiency in front of goal ultimately cost them progression.
Reflecting on the team’s display, Gavi said, “We were the better team in the tie, but in the end the ball has to go in and it didn’t.”
Gavi also touched on one of the key incidents, the sending-off of Eric Garcia, that shifted momentum, while choosing not to fully criticise the official.
Offering his view on the red card situation, he stated,
“I don’t know if Eric deserved a red card. Jules was there. In the end, he made the decision and that’s that,” he concluded.
Source: Mundo Deportivo