After Barcelona demanded an investigation into Szymon Marciniak after their Champions League exit, UEFA responded.
Following Barcelona player Pedri’s request that the governing body look into referee Szymon Marciniak’s performance during the team’s Champions League semi-final loss to Inter Milan, UEFA has reacted.
Barca let up a stoppage time equalizer when 37-year-old Francesco Acerbi appeared at the last second and forced extra time. Barca had been behind 2-0 and ahead 3-2 the night before.
Barca were incensed over several crucial decisions that they believed went against them, including a penalty given away, two spot-kick incidents that were not awarded, and an alleged foul on Gerard Martin in the build-up to the last-minute equalizer. David Frattesi scored the game-winning goal in the 99th minute to send Inter to their second Champions League final in three years.
While an enraged Pedri didn’t hold back in the mixed zone, Hansi Flick asserted that Inter benefited from the “50-50 decisions.”
“It’s not the first time this has happened with this referee and I believe UEFA should have a look at it,” the youngster stated.
“I think there are things I don’t understand and they are very hard to explain.”
Gavi, Ronaldo Araujo, and Joan Laporta, the president of Barcelona, have also criticized the referee.
The Barcelona media also contributed to the commotion. The Catalan publication SPORT implied that Marciniak had some type of connection to Real Madrid after showcasing his past officiating choices and a picture of him in a changing room with a Los Blancos washbag.
In response to the Barcelona referee dispute, UEFA
Marcinak officiated the 2022 World Cup final and the Champions League final less than a year later, yet UEFA found nothing wrong with his performance.
As per MARCA, UEFA continues to defend the Polish official, saying “There is no problem” in response to the outlet’s question on Marcinak.
Since Clement Turpin, one of the top referees, is unable to officiate the final between Inter and Paris Saint-Germain due to his French heritage, Marcinak is actually a candidate to do so.
In the summer, he will also attend the Club World Cup in the United States.
Following remarks from a Middle Eastern publication that said Marciniak had addressed the criticism, Przegląd Sportowy Onet, a Polish outlet, emphasized that no such interview had been conducted.
“The statements published by the Egyptian and Spanish media, which resonated strongly on social media, turned out to be a big lie,” said the publication.
“Referees are not permitted to discuss their decisions after a game. No such statement occurred, as Szymon Marciniak himself told us.
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