Barcelona’s Champions League exit at the hands of Inter Milan still has tongues wagging, particularly about the refereeing decisions made by Szymon Marciniak. The Polish official, known for his high-profile assignments like the 2022 World Cup final, has faced a barrage of criticism from the Catalan side.
Marciniak Fires Back
Marciniak responded to the backlash in an interview with the Egyptian outlet Al Qahera, calling the criticism “ridiculous” and “stupid.” He added that he hadn’t hurt anyone with his decisions. The Barcelona team had two main grievances: the penalty awarded against Pau Cubarsí for a foul on Lautaro Martínez and the validity of Inter’s third goal, scored by Acerbi in the 90+3 minute. Marciniak stood by his decisions, particularly the third goal, saying it was “definitely valid.”
The controversy surrounding Marciniak’s refereeing isn’t new this season. He also officiated the intense Atlético Madrid-Real Madrid match in the Champions League round of 16. In that game, Julián Álvarez’s penalty was disallowed due to a double touch on the ball. Marciniak explained the decision to winwin, stating that after consulting with VAR, they confirmed the infringement. He admitted it was a rare situation but emphasized that players know the rules.
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