UEFA dismiss Barcelona petition against Atletico Madrid

UEFA has rejected Barcelona’s formal complaint over a controversial handball incident, just hours before their decisive Champions League quarter-final second leg against Atletico Madrid.

Barcelona protest deemed inadmissible

Barcelona had lodged a protest following their 2-0 first-leg defeat at the Camp Nou, arguing that a key refereeing decision significantly impacted the outcome.

The incident in question involved Atletico defender Marc Pubill, who appeared to handle the ball after receiving a pass from a goal kick.

However, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body dismissed the complaint outright.

“(After the first leg) Barcelona filed a protest relating to a referee decision. On 13 April 2026, the UEFA Control Ethics and Disciplinary Body declared the protest to be inadmissible,” the governing body said in an official statement.

Controversy over VAR decision

Barcelona had described the failure to award a penalty as a “major error,” maintaining that the decision influenced the result of the match. The club were particularly frustrated that referee Istvan Kovacs was not advised to review the incident via VAR.

The Catalan side believed the situation warranted further scrutiny, especially given the high stakes of a Champions League knockout tie.

Focus now on the second leg

With the protest now dismissed, attention shifts fully to the return leg, where Barcelona must overturn a two-goal deficit to keep their European campaign alive.

Meanwhile, Atletico, managed by Diego Simeone, head into the clash with a strong advantage and will look to capitalise on their first-leg performance.