Ex-Barcelona director Alemany responds to referee complaints

Barcelona were left furious after the decision of referee Juan Martinez Munuera and the VAR team to disallow Pau Cubarsi’s goal during their 4-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final tie on Thursday. It was initially given, but after a check that lasted eight minutes, it was ruled that the young defender was marginally offside.

36 hours after the match concluded, Barcelona submitted an official complaint to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and Technical Committee of Referees (CTA). However, their former sporting director Mateu Alemany, now at Atleti, believes there was little basis for this to be filed, as per MD.

“About Thursday’s match I find it curious that they talk about the referees. It seems to me that it should be the least relevant. In the game the other day there is only one action that is questioned, which is an offside and the offsides, today, are technologically checked. It is objective and it is not interpretable.

“If it’s offside, there’s not a little offside. It is or it’s not. The same thing happened to us the previous Sunday (against Betis), who also whistled us for offside for very little. If it’s little, it’s offside. There’s nothing more to say.”

Barcelona expecting response in the coming days

Whether Barcelona should or should not have filed an official complaint the RFEF and CTA is subjective, but it has been done now. Both bodies are considering whether to respond to the Catalan club, and if they do, it’s likely to happen in the next few days.

Regardless, the thoughts of Hansi Flick and his Barcelona players will not be on this matter, but rather, their upcoming matches. They face Girona on Friday, and in the back of their minds will be that semi-final second leg against Atleti.