UEFA has rejected Barcelona's formal complaint regarding a disputed handball during their Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Atletico Madrid. The decision, issued Tuesday, concludes the club's attempt to challenge the officiating from last week's match.
The UEFA Control Ethics and Disciplinary Body officially declared the protest "inadmissible" on April 13, 2026. The ruling arrives hours before the scheduled second leg of the quarterfinal tie.
Atletico Madrid won the first leg 2-0 at Camp Nou. The match featured a controversial moment involving Atletico defender Marc Pubill.
Barcelona officials argued that Pubill used his hand to intercept the ball. The incident occurred after a pass, which appeared to be a goal kick, was played toward the defender.
Claims of officiating failure
Barcelona leadership described the referee's failure to award a penalty as a "major error." The club maintained that the decision had a direct impact on the outcome of the game.
The club's grievance also targeted the use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. Barcelona officials claimed the VAR team did not prompt referee Istvan Kovacs to review the specific handball incident.
"Barcelona filed a protest relating to a referee decision," UEFA said in a statement. "On 13 April 2006, the UEFA Control Ethics and Disciplinary Body declared the protest to be inadmissible."
The decision leaves the five-time Champions League winners facing a two-goal deficit. Barcelona must now navigate the return leg trailing 2-0 without the possibility of a corrected scoreline from the first encounter.
