Szymon Marciniak facing fresh allegations from Barcelona staff member as UEFA row escalates
Updated 14:27 8 May 2025 GMT+1Published 14:25 8 May 2025 GMT+1
The Champions League referee is facing massive backlash following Barcelona vs Inter Milan.
Referee Szymon Marciniak is facing another set of allegations following the Champions League clash between Barcelona and Inter Milan.
On Tuesday night, Inter Milan booked themselves a spot in the Champions League final after a thrilling second leg clash with Barcelona led to a final aggregate score of 7-6.
Although the match will undoubtedly be remembered by many as one of the greatest European matches of all time, it has also been shrouded in controversy as several Barcelona players called for referee Marciniak to be investigated.
The Polish referee has since spoken out about the reaction to the match, but it appears that the controversy isn't going away as he is now facing even more allegations regarding his decisions.
Immediately after the second leg match at the San Siro, Barcelona midfielder Pedri reaved that je was particularly annoyed with some of Marciniak’s decisions during the game and called on UEFA to investigate his integrity.
And now Barcelona President Joan Laporta's chief advisor Enric Masip has hit out at the referee, criticising him for the decisions he made during the Champions League match.
Speaking via Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Masip said: "Already in the third minute, after a strong tackle on Lamine , the referee went very abruptly to the bench, told Flick to step aside and then started threatening, I think it was Araujo.
"I, having seen what happened with this referee in Milan, and who was in charge of the VAR, sometimes coincidences don't happen for no reason, and the truth is that the entire match was a tough one for them.
"And it's true that it's easy for referees to take offence these days, but when it comes to judgment, everyone should have the same judgment."
Szymon Marciniak controversially awarded a penalty to Inter Milan early in the second leg. (Image: Getty)
Szymon Marciniak controversially awarded a penalty to Inter Milan early in the second leg. (Image: Getty)
Perhaps the most controversial moment of the game came when Marciniak awarded a first-half penalty to Inter for Pau Cubarsi’s challenge on Lautaro Martinez.
Later in the match, Barcelona players were also adamant that Inter’s injury time equaliser shouldn’t have stood after Gerard Martin was fouled by Denzel Dumfries.
However, with a season-defining match against close rivals Real Madrid at the weekend, Barcelona will have to quickly put Tuesday's Champions League drama behind them to focus on the La Liga title race.
Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Football, Champions League, Barcelona, Inter Milan, UEFA