Barcelona filed complaint over Champions League referee

Posted on April 5, 2013 by SoccerPunter

Barcelona have lodged a complaint to UEFA over the poor refereeing in Champions League match with PSG on Tuesday.

Barcelona expressed their displeasure in German referee, Wolfgang Stark.

Stark refused to allow Barcelona‘s defenders Javier Mascherano and Jordi Alba return to the field as PSG prepared to take a corner.

The first leg Champions League quarter-final result ended in a 2-2 draw for Barcelona.

The visiting players were off the field receiving treatment after colliding with one another.

The Catalan club say the rules of the game stipulate that the referee should have stopped play in such circumstances.

“It is worth calling to attention that a referee at this level does not appear to know such an evident rule,” Barca said in their statement.

After the match, assistant coach Jordi Roura criticised Stark’s showing and alluded to the Mascherano-Alba incident as an example. He also insisted that PSG’s first goal by Swede — and former Barca star — Zlatan Ibrahimovic was offside “by several metres.”

PSG coach Carlo Ancelotti also criticised Stark for giving the late penalty which Xavi Hernandez converted for Barcelona’s second goal.