FIFA Admits Crucial Officiating Mistake in Barcelona vs. Inter Milan Semi-Final
A high-stakes Champions League semi-final between Barcelona and Inter Milan has sparked controversy after FIFA confirmed a refereeing error during the match. The incident in question was a penalty awarded to Inter following a challenge between Pau Cubarsí and Lautaro Martínez late in the first half. Hakan Çalhanoglu converted the spot-kick, putting Inter 2-0 ahead in what ended as a 4-3 thriller.
FIFA’s Director of Global Football Development, Arsène Wenger, criticized the decision, stating, “I strongly disagree with that kind of penalty. Slow-motion VAR replays can mislead — in real time, it’s a hard but fair challenge.”
Wenger contended that Martínez manufactured the contact, saying, “He leaned into Cubarsí knowing he had no chance to score. The wrong call was made.” He added that Cubarsí had cleanly reached the ball first — a key factor that the officials missed.
The admission adds to growing calls for better VAR usage and decision-making in crucial moments.
