Flick furious with refs after Barca's shocking loss: "I can't believe..."

Ten-man Barcelona didn't make it. In their fifth duel against Atletico Madrid this season, the Catalans suffered their second defeat (2-0), but this one might hurt them the most, as they are close to a Champions League exit as early as the quarter-finals.

It's safe to say that the VAR room was not on Barca's side last night. Pau Cubarsi was (justifiably) sent off a minute before the break, making a foul that - to make matters worse - led to a free kick from which Julian Alvarez broke the deadlock.

Cholo and his Spider stun Camp Nou! Ten-man Barca drowned in Simeone's trenches

However, that's not the reason for the Catalans' outrage after last night's clash. It was the situation from the 54th minute when the visitors' defender Marc Pubill touched the ball with his hand before taking a goal kick, even though the custodian, Juan Musso, seemed to have already taken it a moment before.

Had that move been sanctioned, Barcelona would have been awarded a penalty kick, while Pubill would have received a second yellow card. Nevertheless, neither the referee, Istvan Kovacs, nor the VAR room reacted, which enraged everyone at Camp Nou, especially the manager Hansi Flick.

"I don't know what happens in the situation when the goalkeeper starts the game, the defender stops the ball with his hand and then plays again."

"For me, it's a clear red card, well a second yellow card and a penalty. [The VAR] can explain why it's not [reviewed the play]."

"I can't believe it's not a red card. It feels not good. It feels unfair. We have to accept it. We will fight next Tuesday," the German said in the post-match press conference via ESPN.

It didn't even help Flick that one of the VAR referees was his compatriot Christian Dingert, as he and the Portuguese Tiago Martins remained indifferent to the Catalans' protests.

Next Tuesday, Barca will be in for one hell of a task, as overturning a two-goal deficit in the UCL is always extremely hard, let alone against such a strong defensive team as Atletico.

Nevertheless, the Blaugrana seemed doomed two months ago as well, when they lost to Los Colchoneros 4-0 in Madrid in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals. In the 72nd minute of the return leg, Barca were already 3-0 up.

In the end, they failed to complete a stunning comeback, but showed everyone they are more than capable of making Diego Simeone and his men sweat.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - QUARTER FINALS

First leg

Tuesday

Real Madrid - Bayern Munich 1-2 (0-1)

/Mbappe 74 - Diaz 41, Kane 46/

Sporting Lisbon - Arsenal 0-1 (0-0)

/Havertz 90+1/

Wednesday

Barcelona - Atletico Madrid 0-2 (0-1)

/Alvarez 45, Sorloth 70/

PSG - Liverpool 2-0 (1-0)

/Doue 11, Kvaratskhelia 65/