Referee Szymon Marciniak has broken his silence after coming under fire from FC Barcelona players and staff following their controversial Champions League semi-final defeat to Inter Milan — and he's not pulling any punches.
The Polish official, widely regarded as one of UEFA’s top referees, was slammed by Barça figures including Pedri, Iñigo Martínez, and manager Hansi Flick for a string of controversial calls. Among them: a VAR-awarded penalty to Inter, an alleged series of unpunished fouls — most notably Francesco Acerbi reportedly shoving Pedri three times in just four seconds — and a seemingly clear penalty appeal for Barcelona turned down after Lamine Yamal was brought down.
“I’ve heard the comments — they’re ridiculous,” Marciniak responded bluntly. “None of the decisions were harmful or incorrect.”
His firm denial comes amid growing pressure from Barcelona, who have yet to file a formal complaint to UEFA, despite stirring outrage within their ranks. Club advisor Enric Masip even claimed former Real Madrid players told him that the non-call on Yamal was “as clear as day.”
To add fuel to the fire, tensions spilled over on the pitch after Acerbi’s goal celebration provoked Barça defender Iñigo Martínez, who was later caught on video appearing to spit toward the Inter player. Martínez insisted it was not intentional, but the incident quickly went viral online.
Despite the uproar, UEFA has made no move to review Marciniak’s performance — a stance likely to further inflame Barcelona supporters who feel robbed of a place in the final.
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