صحف «كتالونيا» تحتج على تعيين حكم «الأيدي» للقاء برشلونة والبايرن

Catalan Press Protests Appointment of "Handball" Referee for Barcelona-Bayern Match

The appointment of Slovenian referee Slavaco Vincic for the Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich match in the third round of the UEFA Champions League, scheduled for Wednesday, has sparked a heated debate in Spain. Numerous newspapers have protested his appointment, citing past controversial decisions against Barcelona.

Vincic: A Bad Memory for Barca?

Mundo Deportivo, upon hearing of the appointment, quickly voiced its objection. They pointed to Vincic’s past rulings against Barcelona, including a glaring instance of not calling a penalty for a handball by Inter Milan player Denzel Dumfries inside the penalty box, thus denying Barcelona a clear chance to score.

The newspaper labeled Vincic the "handball referee" and deemed his presence a bitter memory for Barcelona.

A History of Controversial Decisions

Barcelona had previously lost 0-1 to Inter Milan during a match in Italy, when Xavi Hernandez was the team's coach. During the second half’s stoppage time (minute 92),a penalty should have been awarded to Barcelona when the ball clearly hit Dumfries’ hand inside the box, preventing Ansu Fati from scoring a header. The Inter Milan coach, Simone Inzaghi, expressed relief when the referee ignored the handball.

The Catalan press also remembers Vincic’s decision to disallow a valid goal by Pedri, claiming the ball had touched Fati’s hand before reaching Pedri. However, at the time, FIFA regulations allowed for such goals, contrary to the referee's ruling.

Mixed Records and Recent Success

While the Catalan press is critical of Vincic, the Monte Carlo Sport radio and television network pointed to some positive rulings by the referee in favor of Spanish clubs, including the Spanish national team. He officiated the Spain vs. Italy match at the recent UEFA European Championship (Euro 2024),resulting in a Spanish victory. He also officiated the Champions League final last season between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. Neither club complained about his decisions in that match, which resulted in Real Madrid winning their 15th Champions League title.