Barcelona referee speaks up against Catalan criticism, labeling remarks as "unreasonable"
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Barcelona's Champions League run came to an end on Tuesday night, and the Catalan fans weren't too pleased. They unleashed a barrage of criticism squarely on the referee, Szymon Marciniak, following the epic showdown at Internazionale's home stadium. The ire from Barcelona didn't sit well with Marciniak, who responded to these accusations in an interview with the Egyptian TV station Al Qahera.
In the interview, Marciniak dismissed the Catalan attacks, branding them as "ridiculous" and "stupid."
"What's there to say about these dumb comments? I didn't do anything wrong," he retorted.
Given the possibility of Barcelona lodging a complaint against Marciniak with UEFA, the Polish referee remained unfazed, asserting, "I'm ready for anything. The third goal of Inter was definitely valid."
Apart from this game, Marcus Thuram's gesture with Lamine Yamal has been making waves recently.
As for the specific criticisms made by Barcelona, the key points of contention include:
- Disputed Penalty Decisions:
- Cubarsí Incident: Some contended that Cubarsí's challenge on Lautaro Martínez was a clean tackle. Barcelona and Arsène Wenger disagreed with the penalty awarded, claiming Martínez intentionally leaned into the contact.
- Lamine Yamal Incident: Marciniak initially signaled a penalty for Bastoni's foul on Yamal but later overturned the decision, ruling it occurred just outside the box. Barcelona felt this decision was incorrect.
- Acerbi Handball: Despite a possible handball by Francesco Acerbi within the area, no penalty was awarded, with VAR supporting Marciniak's call.
- Alleged Bias:
- Barcelona players and the media raised questions about Marciniak's impartiality, citing a photo of him with Real Madrid-related paraphernalia. They claimed he favored Inter, fueling calls for UEFA to investigate his performance.
- Additional Incidents:
- A potential foul by Dumfries on Gerard Martín before Inter's equalizing goal went unacknowledged by Marciniak, further fuelling frustration among the Barcelona camp.
Given these incidents and decisions, Barcelona felt that all critical calls favored Inter Milan, leaving them with significant discontent towards Marciniak's officiating.
- What was Barcelona's reaction to their Champions League elimination at the hands of Internazionale? They launched a wave of criticism towards the referee, Szymon Marciniak.
- Marciniak spoke about these accusations in an interview with Al Qahera, stating that the criticisms leveled at him were "ridiculous" and "stupid."
- Despite the possibility of a complaint from Barcelona, Marciniak maintained his composure, stating, "I'm ready for anything. The third goal of Inter was definitely valid."
- Apart from the Champions League, the behavior of Marcus Thuram and Lamine Yamal has recently drawn attention in sports, specifically football, and the European leagues.
- Controversial decisions made by Marciniak during the game, including disputed penalty decisions, Cubarsí incident, Lamine Yamal incident, Acerbi handball, and alleged bias, have sparked significant discontent in the Barcelona camp towards his officiating.
