Arsene Wenger Slams Referee Over “Wrong Decision” in Barcelona’s Defeat to Inter Milan

• Arsene Wenger believes the referee made a crucial error in awarding Inter Milan a first-half penalty against Barcelona
• He argued Lautaro Martinez “bought” the penalty and insisted Pau Cubarsi clearly won the ball
• The decision proved pivotal, as Inter went on to win the tie in extra-time and book their spot in the 2025 Champions League final

Arsene Wenger has slammed referee Szymon Marciniak for awarding Inter Milan a controversial penalty in their Champions League semi-final clash with Barcelona, calling it a game-changing error.

The former Arsenal boss believes the decision gave Inter a lifeline at a crucial moment.

The Catalan giants had looked set for the final after Raphinha's late goal made it 3-2 on the night and 6-5 on aggregate.

But veteran Inter defender Francesco Acerbi, pushed forward in desperation, scored a last-gasp equaliser to force extra time, per Football Italia.

The momentum swung completely, and Inter’s Davide Frattesi struck the decisive goal in the additional period. Inter edged Barcelona 4-3 after extra time at San Siro, securing a 7-6 aggregate victory and a spot in the final.

VAR controversy sparks Wenger’s fury

In the first half, Inter had raced to a 2-0 lead at San Siro, 5-3 on aggregate, with Lautaro Martinez scoring the opener and then winning a penalty just before half-time.

Hakan Calhanoglu converted from the spot after a VAR review overturned Marciniak’s original decision to let play continue.

The referee determined that Pau Cubarsi had fouled Martinez, though he initially waved away the claims.

Wenger, speaking on beIN SPORTS, strongly disagreed:

“I am highly against these kinds of penalties and I am highly against using the slow-motion,” he said. “At normal pace, this is a great tackle. He’s first on the ball.”

The legendary manager argued that Martinez manufactured the contact.

“Look what Lautaro is doing. He leans into him, he looks for the penalty, he knows he cannot score because he feels the defender there.

The referee has not made the right decision. He [Cubarsi] is first to the ball and that’s what counts. The rest is done by Lautaro.”

More penalty frustration for Barcelona

The officiating continued to frustrate Barcelona later in the game. Teen sensation Lamine Yamal won what looked like a clear penalty in the second half, but after another VAR check, the decision was downgraded to a free-kick on the edge of the box, much to the dismay of the Spanish side.

Barcelona express outrage over Marciniak's officiating

Shortly after the game, Barcelona midfielder Pedri urged UEFA to investigate Szymon Marciniak's performance, highlighting multiple controversial calls, including a non-awarded penalty for a foul on Lamine Yamal and a potential red card offense by Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

The club president Joan Laporta also directly blamed the referee for Barcelona's elimination, citing several decisions that he believed unfairly impacted the outcome.

Barcelona's frustrations extended beyond the penalty, with allegations of a foul in the buildup to Inter's equalizer.

Szymon Marciniak defends himself

In a switf response, Szymon Marciniak dismissed Barcelona criticisms as "stupid," defending his decisions and asserting that he did not harm anyone.

Marciniak had previously officiated a 3-3 draw between Barcelona and Inter in the 2022 Champions League group stage, a match that also featured disputed decisions.

As of now, UEFA has not publicly commented on the officiating in this match.

Inter Milan to face Arsenal or PSG in the final

Inter Milan’s dramatic win means they are headed to the Champions League final on May 31, where they’ll face either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain.

PSG lead 1-0 from the first leg and will host the Gunners in Paris on Wednesday night.

Inter fans boo Lamine Yamal

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Lamine Yamal was booed by Inter Milan fans hours before their decisive Champions League semi-final clash.

Just six days after their thrilling 3-3 draw in Spain, the two European powerhouses meet again on Tuesday night to battle for a place in this season’s final.

Nomso Obiajuru was a contributing writer in this article

Source: YEN.com.gh