UEFA Suspends Referee Istvan Kovacs After Controversial Decisions in Barcelona-Atletico Madrid Clash The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has suspended referee Istvan Kovacs for the remainder of the 2025-26 Champions League season following a series of contentious decisions during Atletico Madrid’s 2-0 victory over Barcelona in the quarter-final first leg. The match, held at the Spotify Camp Nou on April 10, 2026, became a focal point for criticism over two pivotal moments: a disputed red card for Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi and a missed handball penalty that sparked frustration among Barcelona coach Hansi Flick. Kovacs’ handling of the Cubarsi incident drew immediate scrutiny. The referee initially awarded a yellow card for the defender’s foul on Giuliano Simeone, but after reviewing the footage via Video Assistant Referee (VAR), the decision was upgraded to a straight red card. Despite this, UEFA officials reportedly deemed the delay in issuing the red card immediately as a significant officiating error. According to Spanish journalist Isaac Fouto, who discussed the matter on the Cope radio program “El Partidazo,” Kovacs’ failure to send off Cubarsi live was the primary reason for his suspension. “Yesterday’s referee will not officiate again, but for the error of not sending off Cubarsí live,” Fouto stated, highlighting the governing body’s emphasis on real-time decision-making. The controversy surrounding Kovacs’ decisions extended beyond the Cubarsi incident. Barcelona’s defeat also saw a missed handball call that left Flick visibly upset. During the match, Marc Pubill appeared to handle the ball inside the penalty area after a short goal kick from goalkeeper Juan Musso. Flick, who criticized the officials’ response, argued that VAR should have intervened.#hansi_flick #barcelona #atletico_madrid #uefa #istvan_kovacs
Barcelona lodge UEFA complaint after Atletico defeat Barcelona have formally submitted a complaint to UEFA following their 2-0 home defeat by Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final first leg, citing alleged errors in officiating during the match. The complaint centers on a specific incident in the 54th minute of the game, when Barcelona claimed an opponent player handled the ball in their penalty area without being shown a penalty. The club stated that the referee, Istvan Kovacs, waved play on, and the VAR team did not intervene, leading to what Barcelona described as a "grave lack of intervention." The incident in question occurred after Atletico goalkeeper Juan Musso appeared to have put the ball back into play from a goal kick. Defender Marc Pubill then handled the ball inside the six-yard box, prompting Barcelona to appeal for a penalty. However, Kovacs did not stop play, and the VAR team did not review the incident, drawing strong reactions from Barcelona’s coaching staff. The club’s official statement emphasized that the decision, combined with the VAR’s failure to act, represented a "major error" and requested an investigation, access to refereeing communications, and potential acknowledgment of the mistakes. Barcelona’s complaint highlights a recurring issue in high-stakes matches, as similar incidents have led to inconsistent rulings in the past. For example, in the Champions League quarter-finals in April 2024, a comparable situation involving Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes and goalkeeper David Raya did not result in a penalty for Bayern Munich. Conversely, in a later 2024 match, VAR did intervene to award Club Brugge a penalty after Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and defender Tyrone Mings were involved in a similar exchange.#barcelona #atletico_madrid #juan_musso #uefa #istvan_kovacs
