Football fans witnessed one of the most thrilling Champions League matches in recent years when Spanish club Barcelona was eliminated from the semi-finals by Italian club Inter Milan, following a marathon clash that ended 4–3 in favor of the Italian side. The match had fans holding their breath until the final moments. However, the Catalan club’s painful exit was not just a sporting loss; it was also followed by widespread refereeing controversy that cast a shadow over Europe’s most prestigious tournament.
In an unprecedented development, according to the Spanish newspaper El Nacional, FIFA President Gianni Infantino shocked the global football community with statements that sparked a wave of controversy. He publicly acknowledged the existence of major refereeing errors in the Barcelona–Inter Milan match, indicating that the Catalan side had clearly been wronged by crucial officiating decisions.
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Infantino: “Barcelona was denied a clear penalty”
At a press conference, Infantino stated that Barcelona should have been awarded a legitimate penalty in the second half, following a clear challenge by Inter Milan’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan on the young winger Lamine Yamal inside the penalty area. The incident generated widespread debate on social media, with the foul incorrectly judged to have occurred outside the box.
Inter’s Penalty: “Wrong Decision”
Infantino did not stop there. He further explained that the penalty awarded to Inter Milan in the first half was a “mistake,” emphasizing that Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsí clearly played the ball and did not make contact with the Inter striker’s foot — making Polish referee Szymon Marciniak’s decision unjustified.
Laporta responds forcefully, demands referee’s removal
These explosive statements did not go unnoticed in Barcelona, where club president Joan Laporta expressed deep frustration at what he described as “repeated targeting” by referee Marciniak. He demanded that UEFA permanently bar the Polish official from refereeing any future Champions League matches involving Barcelona.
Laporta described the incident as part of a wider pattern of controversial decisions that have affected the club in recent years, adding that Barcelona will pursue formal legal steps to ensure “refereeing fairness” going forward.
