Raphinha claims Barcelona referee conspiracy in bizarre rant after Atletico Madrid defeat | OneFootball

Barca were dealt two controversial red cards in Champions League defeat

Raphinha has claimed that Barcelona were “robbed” during their Champions League quarter-final defeat by Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

Hansi Flick’s runaway La Liga leaders were 2-0 down on aggregate in the last eight of Europe’s premier competition, but they hauled themselves back level in the tie after Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres’ goals.

Barca were reduced to ten men in the second period as Eric Garcia was adjudged by VAR to have felled substitute Alexander Sorloth as he peeled away, through on goal.

The Culers had already seen a man sent off in the previous leg at the Nou Camp, when Pau Cubarsi was given his marching orders.

Raphinha, who is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury he picked up on international duty with Brazil, travelled with his team-mates to the Spanish capital but could not contain his fury at the result afterwards.

"For me, we were robbed,” he told TNT Sports Brasil.

“I don't want to talk about the refereeing, but we played extremely well, they committed I don't know how many fouls, and the referee didn't even pull out a single yellow card against them.

“The refereeing was very bad in all the decisions he made. What I really want to understand is, by what criteria is Barca being refereed?"

"I'd really like to understand the secret behind this fear that haunts these people at the thought of Barca winning.

“Yes, we're all human and we can make a mistake in a match, that's something I can understand, but for it to happen in two consecutive matches? That's not normal. I think the result of this double confrontation isn't fair."

Raphinha, the former Leeds United winger, also taunted Atletico supporters post-match, gesturing that Diego Simeone’s side would fall at the semi-final stage.