Barcelona’s night in the Spanish capital went from bad to worse as a controversial VAR intervention overshadowed a night to forget for Hansi Flick’s men. The Blaugrana side, who currently sit at the summit of the Liga table, were already reeling from a first-half blitz at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano when Pau Cubarsi appeared to claw one back. However, a grueling eight-minute review eventually chalked the goal off, leaving the Barca superstars and staff absolutely livid at the officiating.
The Copa del Rey semi-final first leg was a total nightmare for the visitors, who found themselves four goals down by half-time in a disastrous display. While Diego Simeone’s side ran riot, the talking point after the whistle was the failure of the semi-automated offside technology, which forced the VAR officials to draw lines manually while the game was brought to a complete standstill for nearly ten minutes.
'It's a scandal!' – Frenkie de Jong hits out
Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong did not hold back when asked about the disallowed goal in the mixed zone. The playmaker was incredulous that the technology meant to speed up the game resulted in such a lengthy and confusing delay. "In the offside photo, you can't even see the contact with the ball at the moment Fermin shoots," De Jong told reporters. "Later, another image came out where it was clear the defender was a meter behind Lewandowski. This is very strange, it’s a scandal."
The frustration was echoed by Eric Garcia, who endured a tough evening against his former rivals. The Barca defender was part of a backline that was routinely and ruthlessly exposed throughout the contest. Garcia branded the delay "shameful," questioning why the semi-automated system failed when it was needed most, leaving the players in limbo during the most critical period of their attempted comeback.
Flick left baffled by lack of communication
Hansi Flick, experiencing perhaps the most embarrassing defeat of his career, was equally scathing of the officiating process. The German head coach was seen animatedly discussing the decision with the fourth official on the touchline. "For me, it is insane to wait so long to resolve such a situation. Seven minutes, think about that... When I saw the replay, it was clear there was no offside," Flick remarked during his post-match press conference.
The boss also lamented the "total lack of communication" from the refereeing team during the lengthy hiatus. While his team struggled to cope with an inspired Atletico Madrid, Flick felt the goal would have at least provided a platform for a second-leg fightback. Instead, the refereeing committee later admitted the system suffered a "modeling error" due to the high density of players in the box, forcing a manual intervention that Barca simply do not accept.
Simeone taunts Yamal as Barca crumble
While Barca fumed at the officials, Diego Simeone was busy enjoying every second of his side's dominance. The Argentine tactician was seen in high spirits on the touchline, particularly after Ademola Lookman added a third goal. In a moment that quickly went viral, Simeone was caught ridiculing Barca wonderkid Lamine Yamal, holding up three fingers to remind the teenager of the scoreline as he walked past the technical area.
The humiliation didn't stop there, as Julian Alvarez—a player linked with a future move to Barcelona as a long-term successor for Robert Lewandowski—made it 4-0 before the break. Atletico's intensity was too much for a Barca side missing the likes of Raphinha and Gavi, but the "Joy for the people" Simeone spoke of after the game was heavily punctuated by the VAR controversy that robbed the match of its rhythm.
Future in focus amid Metropolitano mayhem
The fallout from this defeat reaches beyond just the scoreline, with veteran striker Robert Lewandowski currently facing a defining moment in his career. The Pole was at the heart of the offside call that didn't go Barca's way, and with his contract winding down, several clubs—ironically including Atletico Madrid—are said to be circling for his signature. Lewandowski is reportedly waiting for the club's presidential elections in March before deciding his next move.
For now, Flick and his squad must find a way to pick up the pieces before the return leg at the Camp Nou on March 4. With Eric Garcia set to miss out after a late red card and the psychological blow of the VAR "scandal" still fresh, the uphill task looks steeper than ever. Barcelona may still lead the way in La Liga, but this night in Madrid proved that when the technology fails and the defense crumbles, even the mountain-toppers can be brought crashing back to earth.