VIDEO: Penalty & red card?! Watch bizarre Marc Pubill handball moment that left Barcelona boss Hansi Flick absolutely furious in Champions League loss to Atletico Madrid

Barcelona's European ambitions took a hit in Madrid as they fell to a 2-0 defeat, but the headlines were dominated by a contentious incident involving Atletico’s Pubill. What appeared to be a clear handball in the area went unpunished, leaving the visitors without a penalty that could have shifted the momentum of the tie. The Catalans had to navigate much of the contest with a numerical disadvantage after Pau Cubarsi was dismissed late in the first half. While Atleti made their extra man count, Flick remained adamant that the failure of technology to intervene on the Pubill incident was the evening's defining failure.

In a heated post-match interview, Flick did not hide his frustration regarding the lack of a review for the handball. He was particularly surprised given the familiarity of the officiating crew, but his focus remained on the inconsistent application of the rules.

"I don't know why VAR didn't intervene," Flick said, via Movistar. "The referee is German, and I think it's unbelievable. We all make mistakes, but what's the point of VAR? I can't understand it. It should be a penalty, a second yellow card, and a red. This is what can't happen."

Barca will now look to bounce back when they face Espanyol in the Catalan derby in La Liga on Saturday. After that, they will prepare for the second leg at the Wanda Metropolitano next week.

Discussing a potential comeback against Atleti, Flick said: "We believe in ourselves because we played very well in the second half with one less player. They also played very well; they have quality up front. The truth is, it wasn't easy to defend against them, but we had chances to win this tie."