UEFA announced its Team of the Season for the Champions League following the conclusion of the tournament. The list included only two Barcelona players, despite the team’s impressive performance in the most recent edition.
Hansi Flick’s side had a strong campaign, finishing second in the league phase before narrowly losing to Inter Milan in the semi-finals — a match clouded by controversy over decisions made by Polish referee Szymon Marciniak.
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According to reports from the Spanish newspaper El Nacional, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick expressed his deep displeasure at the exclusion of star player Pedri from the 2024–25 Champions League Team of the Season, which was announced by UEFA after the tournament.
Despite Barcelona’s strong European campaign, culminating in a narrow semi-final defeat to Inter, UEFA’s Technical Observers Committee included only two players from the Catalan club: Raphinha and Lamine Yamal.
This decision was enough to provoke Flick, who described it as an “unprecedented scandal,” emphasizing that Pedri “had a legendary season by all standards and was one of the most influential players in Barcelona’s continental run.”
Flick stated, in comments reported by sources close to the club:
“I am truly shocked by Pedri’s exclusion. What happened is completely incomprehensible, especially given the numbers and outstanding performances he delivered throughout the season. If a player like Pedri isn’t considered among the best, then who is?”
The controversy was further fueled by Pedri’s pivotal role in midfield, where he contributed significantly to build-up play and dictated the tempo in crucial matches — leading many observers to question his omission from the final squad.
As expected, Paris Saint-Germain players dominated the Team of the Season following their emphatic 5–0 victory over Inter Milan in the final at the Allianz Arena. The Parisian club also swept individual honors, with Ousmane Dembélé named Player of the Tournament, while Désiré Doué was awarded Best Young Player for his standout performance in the final, edging out Lamine Yamal.
Pedri’s absence from the Team of the Season remains one of the most discussed topics of this Champions League edition, especially in light of the widespread praise he received from both Barcelona fans and football analysts — prompting Flick to voice his frustration in an unusually direct and public manner.
