Barcelona fury as referee accused of being ‘Madridista' after chaotic Inter defeat
Marciniak left Barça furious with his decisions during the epic Champions League semi-final defeat at Inter Milan in which they lost 7-6 on aggregate thanks to Davide Frattesi's extra-time winner at San Siro.
Hansi Flick's players were incensed at Marciniak turning down a penalty appeal when Inter defender Francesco Acerbi appeared to handle in the area.
They were also aggrieved at the Polish referee awarding Inter a penalty after a pitch-side review for Pau Cubarsí's tackle on Lautaro Martínez .
All the angles the Pau Cubarsí tackle to give Inter Milan a crucial penalty 👀 #UCLonPrime pic.twitter.com/4Uu19snSal
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) May 6, 2025
Marciniak subsequently overturned a penalty appeal when Henrikh Mkhitaryan tripped Lamine Yamal and the foul continued in the area.
Should this tackle on Lamine Yamal have been given as a free kick or a penalty? 🤔 #UCLonPrime pic.twitter.com/Zl1oWawokF
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) May 6, 2025
Barcelona felt there was a foul by Denzel Dumfries on Gerard Martín in the build-up to Federico Acerbi's 93rd-minute equaliser.
FRANCESCO ACERBI KEEPS INTER ALIVE 😱
His first ever UEFA Champions League goal comes at a crucial moment to level the tie 6-6! #UCLonPrime pic.twitter.com/denwcUUbzb
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) May 6, 2025
Barça midfielder Pedri led the calls for a probe into Marciniak, claiming: 'It's not the first time that this has happened to us with this referee, Uefa should look at it. There are things that I don't understand and they are complicated to explain.
'All 50-50s are for them. In the penalty to Lamine [Yamal], which was then a foul, he did not give Mkhitaryan a yellow card, which would have been the second.'
Marciniak also received a complaint from Inter after it appeared Iñigo Martínez spat in the direction of Acerbi after the penalty that gave Inter a 2-0 lead. The 44-year-old official did not take further action but the incident could be looked at by Uefa. Martínez, meanwhile, took aim at the referees for his decisions against Barça.
'Everyone has seen today that the decisions fell on the same side, but I don't want this to be talked about,' said Martínez. 'In the end he [the referee] had to make decisions and he made them that way. It's a shame.'
Catalan media outlets questioned Marciniak's appointment as referee for the second leg of the semi-final ahead of the San Siro classic, with Sport suggesting he had a 'favourable history' with rivals Madrid.
The newspaper also posted footage of Marciniak's dressing room for the Champions League semi-final two years ago when a wash bag with Real Madrid's bag was clearly seen in the changing area next to where he was speaking.
🎥 MUST WATCH: Two years ago Szymon Marciniak (referee for UCL Semi Finals) was filmed with bag branded by a Real Madrid logo.
Bookmark this video if something goes haywire by his decision then we know the reason.
pic.twitter.com/o7FO4DvTUC
— Bᴀʀᴄ̧ᴀVᴇʀsᴇ (@BarcaVerse_) May 4, 2025
The daily highlighted Marciniak disallowing Julián Alvarez's 'double-touch' penalty for Atletico Madrid against Real earlier in the competition.
A closer look at THAT penalty from Julián Alvarez 😱 pic.twitter.com/HdyUQ0TeOE
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 13, 2025
He also ruled out a Bayern Munich goal against Real last season and chalked off a Chelsea strike in 2022 against the Spanish giants.
Spanish newspaper El Mundo Deportivo said: 'Flick's team overcame Inter's initial 2-0 and the scandalous refereeing of the 'Madridista', who deprived Barça of a penalty for hands and whistled a very rigorous one against.'
Barcelona manager Flick added: 'Every decision that was 50-50 went [Inter's] way. I am disappointed, but not with my team.
'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...'
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