UEFA removes top official from all European finals after chaos in Inter vs Barcelona clash — here’s what really happened!
Full Story:
Polish referee Szymon Marciniak, once tipped to officiate the Champions League final, has been dropped by UEFA following his controversial handling of Inter Milan vs Barcelona in the semi-finals — a match that ended 4-3 (7-6 agg) in a dramatic and heavily disputed finish.
Barcelona’s outrage over key decisions appears to have cost Marciniak his spot in the final between Inter and PSG on May 31 in Munich. According to Sport, UEFA’s internal review concluded that errors against Barça, including:
A highly debatable penalty on Pau Cubarsí
A missed foul by Dumfries before Inter’s late equaliser
And questionable build-up play in Inter’s goals
…were too significant to ignore.
Punishment Confirmed:
Not selected for the UCL Final
Removed from Europa League and Conference League finals
István Kovács now appointed for the Champions League final
Felix Zwayer and Irfan Peljto will handle the Europa and Conference finals respectively
Marciniak Responds:
After reports emerged suggesting he defended his performance to Egyptian media, the referee denied the claims, calling them fabricated. He confirmed via Polish media that “a referee is not allowed to make post-match comments,” discrediting those statements as “a big lie.”
What This Means:
UEFA’s decision is rare and suggests growing pressure from clubs and fans to hold referees accountable at the highest level. With Barça furious over their Champions League exit and La Liga still reeling from recent officiating scandals, trust in football’s elite referees is rapidly eroding.
This case may set a precedent: big calls now come with big consequences.
