Barcelona President Joan Laporta says that Barcelona are out of the Champions League ‘basically because of refereeing decisions that went against us’ after the 4-3 thriller in the second leg of the semi that sent Inter through to the final on Tuesday night.
Simone Inzaghi and the Nerazzurri claimed a place in the Champions League final with a 7-6 aggregate victory over Barcelona, claiming a 4-3 win in extra time in San Siro on Tuesday night to seal the tie.
Inter went 2-0 up on Tuesday night via a Hakan Calhanoglu penalty, which required a lengthy VAR intervention before the spot kick was awarded, while Barcelona felt they should have been given a penalty themselves after claims of a Francesco Acerbi handball in the area in the first half.
Speaking on the official Barcelona website in the aftermath of their Champions League elimination against Inter, Laporta said: “It wasn’t to be yesterday, we fought to reach the final in Munich, but it didn’t happen, basically because of refereeing decisions that went against us, but that has to make us stronger so that we have the mentality needed to win LaLiga.
“It’s a very tough moment after yesterday’s defeat. Like I said, it was within reach, but it wasn’t to be. We fought to make it happen, but we couldn’t.”
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It’s frustrating to see such crucial decisions potentially altering the outcome of a game. Laporta’s comments about the refereeing decisions seem valid, especially when VAR is involved. The penalty call for Inter and the missed handball for Barcelona could have changed the game’s dynamics. It’s hard not to feel for the team after such a close match, but blaming referees can sometimes overshadow the team’s own shortcomings. Do you think Barcelona could have done more in extra time to secure the win? It’s a tough loss, but focusing on LaLiga now seems like the right move. Still, it’s hard not to wonder what could have been with a bit more luck.