Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger disgusted the decision to grant a fine against Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi on Tuesday evening, while he made a last ditch a challenge at Inter Star Lautaro Martinez. Martinez played for the penalty for Wenger.
Inter continued in the dying minutes of the game against Barcelona and hit the winner in the first half of extra time, but just like in the first stage, a lead of two goals over the Catalan giants gave. The second came with a penalty from Hakan Calhanoglu, which was awarded after a last man's challenge from Cubarsi on the Argentinian. At the time it seemed like an excellent challenge, but Martinez remained, referee Szymon Marciniak stopped the game during the game to take care of him, and Var then asked him to revise the incident.
Wenger, who is also remarkably a FIFA rules analyst, expressed his consternation to see the given penalty, as he told Bein Sports after the game.
“I am high against these types of punishments. And very much against the use of the Slow Motion. This is a big challenge at a normal pace, and he is first on the ball. Look what he does Lautaro Martinez, he leans against him. He is looking for the penalty. He knows he will not score now because he feels him there.”
“The referee for me has shown that he has had the decision wrong. Look, he is first on the ball. And that is what counts for me. The rest is done by Lautaro Martinez. It doesn't matter (if there is contact), it is for me to play the ball and the ball first wins.”
Barcelona players were frustrated by the referee performance after the game, in which Pedri remarked that 'it is not the first time' they felt that Marciniak had made controversial calls against them. The decision of Marciniak to give Barcelona not a fine on three separate professions did not go well, although referee experts stated that he at least made the right decisions.