FIFA Dismisses Referees After Controversial Call in Inter vs. Barcelona Clash
FIFA has dismissed the officiating team from the recent Champions League semi-final match between Inter Milan and Barcelona, following backlash over a controversial decision. The issue arose when 17-year-old Lamine Yamal appeared to be fouled in the box by Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Initially, referee Szymon Marciniak awarded a penalty, but VAR overturned it, ruling the foul occurred outside the box—prompting frustration among Barcelona fans. ESPN’s Dale Johnson clarified that the ruling was based on the tackle’s point of first contact.
Barcelona lost the dramatic second-leg 4-3, resulting in a 7-6 aggregate defeat. Despite scoring three times, including goals from Eric Garcia, Dani Olmo, and Raphinha, Barça couldn’t outpace Inter, whose scorers included Martínez, Calhanoglu, Acerbi, and Frattesi.
After the match, Inter’s coach Simone Inzaghi praised his team’s resilience, while Barcelona manager Hansi Flick expressed disappointment but emphasized the promise of his youthful squad, pledging a stronger return next season.
Inter Milan will face either PSG or Arsenal in the Champions League final at Munich’s Allianz Arena on May 31.
