Atletico Madrid lodge complaint over Barcelona non-red card | OneFootball

Atletico Madrid have lodged a complaint after their 2-1 defeat to Barcelona at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, focusing on the VAR reversal that spared Gerard Martin a red card shown by referee Mateo Busquets Ferrer.

Diario AS reports that Atleti have submitted the case to the Technical Committee of Referees, seeking an explanation for why Martin’s studs-up challenge on Thiago Almada was downgraded from red to yellow following a review.

Players, staff and supporters reacted angrily to the decision, and senior figures at the club argue they cannot compete when one set of rules is explained and another appears to be applied.

Before the international break, Atleti also lost 2-1 to Real Madrid, feeling aggrieved that Dani Carvajal’s challenge on Marcos Llorente in the area was not penalised. Their frustration has deepened after the Martin incident, which meant they played the entire second half a man down rather than 10v10.

The club have pointed to a recent precedent involving Real Betis defender Valentin Gomez, with the CTA later ruling he should have been sent off for a similar challenge on Rayo Vallecano’s Andrei Ratiu.

Attention now turns to Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Barcelona at the Spotify Camp Nou.

Source: Football Espana