Barcelona coach Hansi Flick fumes over refereeing decisions in defeat at Inter Milan
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Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said in a press conference that he is disappointed, but not with his team, following their 7-6 aggregate Champions League semi-final loss to Inter Milan at the San Siro on May 6.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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MILAN – Barcelona coach Hansi Flick felt aggrieved over several refereeing decisions after an extra-time goal by Inter Milan substitute Davide Frattesi for a 4-3 win on May 6 stopped the Catalan side reaching their first Champions League final in a decade.
Barca thought they had victory in the bag when they roared back from two goals down to grab a 3-2 lead with Raphinha’s goal in the 87th minute, but Inter equalised through Francesco Acerbi in stoppage time to force extra time.
Flick criticised Polish referee Szymon Marciniak who had a busy night in the semi-final, second leg at San Siro, with Inter advancing 7-6 on aggregate to face Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal on May 31 in Munich.
The official awarded Inter a penalty after a video assistant referee (VAR) review for a challenge by Pau Cubarsi on Lautaro Martinez that he did not deem an infringement initially.
And later, Marciniak reversed a spot-kick decision for Barcelona with the VAR saying Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s foul on Lamine Yamal was just outside the box.
Barca’s players and bench also complained about what they thought was handball inside the box by Inter defender Acerbi and a foul by wing-back Denzel Dumfries on Gerard Martin in the build-up to the equaliser which took the game to extra time.
“I don’t want to talk too much about the referee, but every decision that was 50-50 went (Inter’s) way,” German Flick told a press conference.
“I am disappointed, but not with my team. They tried everything. It’s the way it is. We are out, but next year we will try again to make the fans happy.
“It makes me sad... My team did an excellent job. I don’t like talking about the referee... I’ve told him what I think, but I’m not going to say it here what I’ve said.”
Inter went 2-0 up at the break thanks to a goal by Martinez and Hakan Calhanoglu’s penalty, before Barca hit back to go 3-2 ahead with three minutes left, thanks to strikes by Eric Garcia, Dani Olmo and Raphinha. But Acerbi sent the game to extra time to set up Frattesi’s heroics.
Barca were chasing a treble after winning the Copa del Rey, but will now turn their focus to La Liga, where they top the table and on May 11 host rivals Real Madrid, who trail them by four points with four games to go.
“We’ll learn from this. It’s a progression... It’s normal to be disappointed,” Flick said.
“The team deserves the respect they have earned. We play to win, we want to win titles and we have La Liga, with a very difficult match... Each player, when they get home, can look in the mirror and be proud of themselves.” REUTERS
