In their Champions League semi-final second leg against Serie A powerhouse Inter Milan, FC Barcelona star Pedri has requested UEFA to “look at” the referee. The Champions League semifinal between Barcelona and Inter Milan was the greatest in history, with the Italian powerhouses winning 7–6 overall.
Lautaro Martinez and Hakan Çalhanoğlu gave Inter Milan the lead on Tuesday night after the first leg ended 3-3, but Eric Garcia, Dani Olmo, and Raphinha for Barcelona completed an incredible comeback.
Inter Milan won thanks to goals from Davide Frattesi in extra time and Francesco Acerbi in stoppage time, which put the La Liga leaders on the verge of the Champions League final.
After the match, a few Barcelona key players blasted Polish referee Szymon Marciniak. They believed Inter’s penalty kick was questionable, and Acerbi’s goal should have been wiped off when VAR refused them a penalty for a foul on Lamine Yamal that was judged beyond the penalty area.
UEFA should consider Marciniak, according to Barcelona player Pedri, because this is “not the first time this has happened with this referee.” “This has happened with this referee before, and I think UEFA ought to look into it,” Pedri stated.
Pedri Calls For UEFA to Investigate Referee Szymon Marciniak
However, Pedri gave reporters an explanation of why he wants UEFA to extensively examine Marciniak’s refereeing performance after the game. “We’ve experienced this referee issue before, and I believe UEFA ought to investigate. According to The Mirror, the elite midfield player told El Partidazo de Cope, “There are some things that are difficult to explain.”
In the 2022–2023 Champions League group stage, Pedri seemed to be alluding to Marciniak’s officiating during a previous match between the two teams, which also finished in a 3–3 draw, according to World Soccer Talk. In the end, that outcome helped Barca get eliminated and fall to the Europa League.
After this weekend, Barcelona will need to recover from this heartbreaking setback and reassemble before Sunday’s crucial La Liga matchup against fierce rivals Real Madrid. A win would virtually ensure Hansi Flick’s team would win the league, but a loss would mean a spectacular season finale with just three games left.
