‘Today I’m really unhappy. I feel there is real injustice…’
Barcelona are at risk of slipping out of the Champions League at the group stage for a second year on the spin after losing to Inter Milan in controversial circumstances on Tuesday night.
Hakan Çalhanoğlu scored the only goal of the game at San Siro in first-half stoppage time, but Barca were so aggrieved at a couple of big decisions going against them in the game that reports in Spain now claim they’re set to lodge an official complaint to UEFA regarding the standard of officiating.
Pedri goal ruled out
It started when Pedri appeared to have drawn Barca level in the second half, only for the goal to be struck off after an intervention from VAR.
Closer inspection revealed the ball had made contact with the hand of Ansu Fati – albeit after being knocked into it from point blank range by Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana – before Pedri tucked it away.
Late VAR drama
To compound Barca’s sense of injustice, Inter defender Denzel Dumfries appeared to handle when trying to head clear a cross with Fati waiting to pounce.
A check for a potential penalty decided there was no conclusive proof he’d used his arm to knock the cross away and Inter hung on to seal a crucial victory.
Barcelona were denied a late penalty in the final moments of their match against Inter last night… 😲
Was it the right call from the referee?#UCL pic.twitter.com/0ynT1YR0NI
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 5, 2022
Xavi on ‘injustice’
Xavi, with good reason, was fuming.
“The referee should be out here explaining why he makes these decisions, if he made mistakes or not. That would humanise them a lot more,” he said after the game.
“Today I’m really unhappy. I feel there is real injustice.”
The defeat followed Barca’s 2-0 loss away to Bayern Munich in their last Champions League outing and leaves them third in the group ahead of their return with Inter at Camp Nou.
Should they fail to win that, their chances of making the knockout stages of the competition will be in serious threat with just two games remaining.
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