FC Barcelona's legal services have submitted a formal complaint to UEFA due to a penalty not being called against Atlético de Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final first leg match last Wednesday. They refer to the controversial handball by Marc Pubill, when he grabs the ball with his hands inside the small area after goalkeeper Muso had put it in motion.
"The Club considers that the refereeing did not adhere to the current law, directly influencing how the game progressed and the result. FC Barcelona understands that this decision, along with a grave lack of intervention by VAR, represents a major error", they said in a statement.
"Accordingly, the Club has requested an investigation be opened, access to refereeing communications, and where applicable, official acknowledgment of the errors and the adoption of the relevant measures". Barça goes beyond considering this a one-off mistake, and insist that they consider "this was not the first time in recent editions of the UEFA Champions League that unfathomable refereeing decisions have had a detrimental effect on the team, creating a clear double standard and preventing competing against other clubs on a level playing field."
