New Delhi, 10 April (H.S.): FC Barcelona has escalated its grievances to UEFA following a 0-2 loss to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinal first leg, filing an official protest Thursday against perceived refereeing lapses that denied them a potential penalty.

The controversy erupted early in the second half at the 54th minute, when Atletico goalkeeper Juan Musso initiated a goal kick, only for defender Marc Pubill—already cautioned—to handle the ball inside the six-yard box, seemingly under the mistaken belief play remained paused. Referee Istvan Kovacs waved play on, with Video Assistant Referee (VAR) declining intervention, prompting outrage among Barcelona's players and staff.

In an official statement, the club's legal department decried the oversight as a clear infraction warranting sanctions, demanding a thorough probe, disclosure of referee-VAR communications, and formal acknowledgment of any errors alongside corrective measures. Barcelona highlighted a pattern of incomprehensible decisions prejudicing their campaigns in recent UEFA tournaments.

Precedents underscore the inconsistency: In April 2024, Bayern Munich was similarly denied against Arsenal when Gabriel Magalhaes handled during a goal kick, while later that year, VAR prompted a penalty for Club Brugge versus Aston Villa involving Emiliano Martinez and Tyrone Mings in analogous circumstances.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar