Hansi Flick Questions VAR Decisions and Dismisses Arbeloa's Claims

Barcelona's manager, Hansi Flick, has voiced his bewilderment regarding the absence of VAR intervention during their Champions League quarter-final clash against Atletico Madrid, specifically concerning a potential penalty call against Marc Pubill. He also addressed and dismissed comments made by Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa regarding officiating in Spanish football.

The Catalan club has lodged a complaint with UEFA concerning the refereeing in their European encounter, finding the referee's decision and the subsequent lack of a VAR review inexplicable.

"I am unsure of the eventual outcome, but it is beneficial for me and the team that the club is backing us in this matter, as it was unjust. Mistakes can happen once, but not repeatedly. The club's support is a significant help."

"We didn't play our best, but that was decisive"

Flick expressed a generally positive view on the introduction of VAR but highlighted its non-intervention as a "decisive" factor in their match against Atletico Madrid.

"Of course, that is my belief – that VAR is there to assist. If the VAR team observed something incorrect and should have alerted the referee to review the play, that is what I felt was missing in that game. I believe there are numerous areas where we can improve. It is true that we did not perform at our highest level; we made some errors, but that specific incident was not handled correctly and, at that juncture, it decided the outcome of the match."

Hansi Flick on Alvaro Arbeloa's Comments

On Thursday, Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa referenced the Negreira case once more when discussing refereeing in Spain, hinting at a perceived bias against Real Madrid. He had previously characterized the Negreira case as the most significant scandal in football history.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing. I do not expend my energy on such matters. It is his opinion, and that is perfectly acceptable. I am concentrating on my team, and nothing else," Flick responded.

"These things do not concern me. This is the nature of the business; there is a considerable amount of noise between us. However, this is what I convey to the team: we must focus on ourselves and not on Real Madrid's actions. We are in a favorable position, and we need to win every game, concentrating solely on our own performance."

Barcelona is scheduled to play Espanyol at 18:30 CEST on Saturday in the Catalan derby at Camp Nou. The Blaugrana currently hold a seven-point lead over Real Madrid, who are set to face Girona on Friday night.