Hansi Flick explodes against VAR after Barcelona’s defeat: “I don’t understand! Where was Tiago Martins?”
The atmosphere in Barcelona turned tense and filled with controversy following the home defeat of Barcelona by 0-2 against Atlético de Madrid in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. The German coach of the Catalan side, Hansi Flick, did not hide his fury and disbelief regarding the performance of VAR, directly questioning the absence of intervention in a decisive play that, in his view, changed the course of the match.
In a moment that could define Barcelona’s future in this competition, Flick did not hold back in his criticism of the video assistant referee system and the role of the video assistant referee, the Portuguese Tiago Martins, who assisted the main referee Christian Dingert. “I don’t understand why VAR didn’t intervene. The referee is German, and I think it’s incredible. We all make mistakes, but what do we have VAR for? I can’t understand. It should have been a penalty, a second yellow, and a red card. This is something that cannot happen,” the coach stated, referring to a controversial incident involving the young Marc Pubill.
This situation occurred even before the expulsion of Pau Cubarsí, which left Barcelona with ten players from the 43rd minute. Regarding this expulsion, Flick was more cautious and less categorical: “I don’t know. It could be, and it could not be. I don’t know if he touches him enough. The ball was behind, and in other situations, like when they touch the ball with their hand, for me it is very clear,” he commented, leaving the door open for interpretation of the incident.
Despite the defeat and the controversial decisions, Flick refuses to give up and keeps hope alive for the second leg of this tie. “Of course we lost 0-2, but we had very good opportunities, and they played very well. We will not give in,” he assured, expressing confidence in Barcelona’s ability to turn the situation around.
The German coach also praised the courage and quality displayed by his team, especially in the second half when they played with one player less. “We believe in ourselves because in the second half we were very good with one player less. They also played very well; they have quality in attack. The truth is that it was not easy to defend against them, but we had opportunities to win this tie,” he concluded, making it clear that Barcelona will not make it easy in the fight for a place in the Champions League semi-finals.
This episode once again highlights the heated debate surrounding VAR and its effectiveness in decisive matches, especially when crucial decisions are questioned by coaches and fans. The presence of Portuguese assistant referee Tiago Martins in one of the most important matches of the Champions League final stage will now be scrutinized, as Barcelona seeks strength for the decisive battle ahead.
This article first appeared on Apito Final.
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