Joan Laporta issues statement as Barcelona launch UEFA complaint over Champions League exit

Joan Laporta issues statement as Barcelona launch UEFA complaint over Champions League exitBarcelona crashed out of the Champions League to La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid and Catalan club chiefs have been left furious by the officiating in the knockout matchCommentsSportScott Trotter Sports Writer17:44, 15 Apr 2026View 2 ImagesBarcelona were knocked out of the Champions League by Atletico Madrid(Image: Pressinphoto/Icon Sport via Getty Images)Barcelona president-elect Joan Laporta has slammed the refereeing in Barcelona's Champions League exit to Atletico Madrid and revealed the club are filing a complaint to UEFA. Barcelona secured a 2-1 win at the Metropolitano but it proved not enough for progression as they lost 3-2 on aggregate.‌Barcelona filed a complaint following their home first-leg defeat and are set to do so again as a number of refereeing decisions are brought under the microscope. The Catalan club are frustrated that Eric Garcia was shown a red card and that VAR ruled out a Ferran Torres goal that would have put Barca ahead on aggregate in the opening half.‌Laporta watched on from the stands in Madrid and has now vented his frustrations from across both ties. "First of all, I want to congratulate Atlético de Madrid," he said.‌"But that doesn't excuse yesterday's refereeing, both by the referee and VAR , which was a disgrace. What they did to us is intolerable. In the first leg, they didn't award us a clear penalty and sent off one of our players when he only deserved a yellow card, because Giuliano didn't have the ball under control. The red card hurt us a lot."It was a tie where the refereeing decisions hurt us a lot. In the second leg, Eric García wasn't the last man back; Koundé was arriving. The referee initially showed a yellow card, but VAR intervened and overturned it.READ MORE: Wayne Rooney levels brutal accusation at Arne Slot's Liverpool players after PSG Champions League exitREAD MORE: Tw...