UEFA has officially dismissed Barcelona’s complaint concerning a suspected handball by Atletico Madrid’s Marc Pubill during their Champions League quarter-final first leg. The incident, which was not flagged by referee Istvan Kovacs, significantly displeased Barcelona manager Hansi Flick.
Following the match, Flick expressed his frustration, questioning the purpose of VAR. He described an event where Atletico goalkeeper Juan Musso appeared to initiate a goal kick, passing the ball to Pubill, who then controlled it with his hand inside the six-yard box, seemingly intending to take the kick himself.
Barcelona had argued for a penalty and, in Flick’s view, a second yellow card for Pubill. However, neither the on-field referee nor the VAR officials intervened. Despite the IFAB rules seemingly offering some justification for Barcelona’s claims, the Catalan club formally lodged a complaint with UEFA regarding the same incident.
UEFA’s Decision on the Handball Claim
UEFA, however, has taken a different stance. While not providing specific reasons, UEFA has declared Barcelona’s complaint as “inadmissible.”
“Following the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final between FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, played on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, FC Barcelona lodged a protest concerning a refereeing decision. On April 13, 2026, the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body declared the protest inadmissible.”
Regardless, the complaint was largely a procedural measure, and even if accepted, UEFA indicated that no disciplinary action would have resulted from it.
Managers’ Comments on Officiating
Looking ahead to the second leg, Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone stated that he was “not thinking about referees” when questioned about their potential impact on the game. Flick, while expressing that he is “calm now,” admitted he would be hoping for officiating decisions to favor his team in the upcoming match, referencing the Pubill handball incident as an example of a call that went against Barcelona in the first leg.
