FC Barcelona president Rafa Yuste has made it clear that the club will continue to defend their position after UEFA rejected the club’s formal complaint about the refereeing in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Atletico Madrid.
Barça had aired their grievances over the officiating by referee Istvan Kovacs in the first leg at the Spotify Camp Nou, with several controversial calls being made – especially the non-awarded penalty involving Marc Pubill.
However, earlier today, UEFA’s Disciplinary Committee shot down the complaint, deeming it ‘inadmissible’.
Barcelona exploring legal action, confirms Yuste
Given what has happened, Yuste revealed ahead of tonight’s second-leg encounter against Atletico Madrid that Barcelona are exploring legal avenues to take the matter further after UEFA’s dismissal of the complaint.
“Our legal team is currently assessing this matter. They need to examine the grounds on which this complaint has been lodged, and once everything has been assessed, we will act accordingly,” he said, as quoted by SPORT.
Yuste also addressed concerns about the pitch conditions at the Metropolitano Stadium. After Hansi Flick complained about the height of the grass during training, UEFA reassured both clubs in a meeting that everything would meet the required standards.
Not backing down. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)
“I’m not worried about the pitch. UEFA held a meeting this morning with both clubs, and it’s clear that everything will be fine. There is absolute confidence,” Yuste remarked.
“It’s not that we were complaining, it’s just that there are rules that must be applied. UEFA’s criteria must be met, and that’s it. That’s what we were asking for, nothing more.”
Looking ahead to the decisive second leg, Yuste struck an optimistic tone about Barça’s chances of progressing to the Champions League semi-finals.
“I’m very optimistic. I’ve travelled with the team, I’ve watched them train here and I’ve seen for myself how determined these boys are. We need to be cautious in a match of this calibre, but we all believe we can do it,” he said.
Concluding, the interim president praised the Barcelona squad’s identity and commitment, highlighting the importance of homegrown players in the project.
“We’ve been playing with home-grown players who are deeply committed to the project for about two years now. It’s clear that they’re very invested in Barça, and we’re proud to have them representing us,” Yuste concluded.
