UEFA rejects Barcelona's protest over controversial Atletico Madrid refereeing decision
UEFA has rejected Barcelona's complaint over referee Istvan Kovacs' performance in their Champions League quarter-first leg defeat to Atletico Madrid. The Catalans had argued Marc Pubill's handball in the box should have resulted in a penalty and a second yellow card, but UEFA's Disciplinary Committee declared the protest "inadmissible" on April 13, 2026.
The incident occurred during the April 8 match at Spotify Camp Nou, where Pubill handled the ball inside the box following a pass from goalkeeper Juan Musso. Barcelona maintained the ball was in play, while the referee and Atletico Madrid insisted it wasn't. Despite seeking explanations and access to referee-VAR recordings, UEFA has closed the case without further action.
This decision means Barcelona cannot appeal the controversial decision as they prepare for the second leg against Atletico Madrid. With the tie still unresolved, Barcelona will need to overturn their first-leg deficit in the return fixture to advance to the Champions League semi-finals.