The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has ruled that FC Barcelona’s complaint over officiating in their Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid is inadmissible.
The decision was delivered on Tuesday by UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body following a formal protest lodged by the Catalan club.
Barcelona had raised concerns over the performance of referee István Kovács during the first leg of their quarter-final encounter at the Spotify Camp Nou.
The controversy centred on an incident involving Atletico defender Marc Pubill, who appeared to handle the ball inside the penalty area after receiving a pass from goalkeeper Juan Musso.
Barcelona argued that the action warranted a penalty as well as a second yellow card for Pubill. However, both the referee and Atletico Madrid maintained that the ball was not yet in play at the time of the incident.
Following the match, Barcelona submitted a formal complaint, requesting clarification on the decision and access to audio recordings between the match officials and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
In a statement, UEFA confirmed the ruling: “Following the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final played on April 8, 2026, between FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, FC Barcelona lodged a protest concerning a refereeing decision.
“On April 13, 2026, the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body declared the protest inadmissible.”
