Barcelona Suffers Heavy Defeat in Copa del Rey Semifinal

Barcelona was convincingly defeated 4-0 by Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal match last night.

Controversial Refereeing Influences the Outcome

The team expressed frustration regarding the officiating by Martínez Munuera, whose decisions greatly impacted the game. A key moment was the disallowance of a Barcelona goal after an extensive seven-minute VAR review, as well as a red card issued to Eric García in the final minutes, according to reports from Marca.

Barcelona’s dissatisfaction with Munuera’s performance has led to discussions within the club about lodging a formal complaint with the football federation.

Key Complaints to Address

1. Disallowed Goal

   • Barcelona aims to challenge the decision that overturned the goal, emphasizing that the offside ruling should have been managed through semi-automatic technology, minimizing the lengthy debate in the VAR room. The club seeks clarification on this call.

2. Eric García’s Red Card

   • The sending-off of defender García is viewed as unjust by the team. They are particularly aggrieved by what they see as inconsistencies in the officiating.
3. Double Standards in Officiating
   • A pivotal incident during the match involved Atlético Madrid’s Giuliano Simeone, who escaped a red card for a tackle on Alejandro Balde, further fueling Barcelona’s claims of preferential treatment.

Post-Match Sentiments

As the players left the Metropolitano, the atmosphere was charged with discontent. Statements like “We are always victimized by officiating” and “I’ve never seen anything like this with VAR” were heard as the squad made their way to the team bus.