Stumbling at C1, Barcelona's pillar faces heavy penalties from UEFA

Barcelona could not reverse the outcome against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final return match on the early morning of April 15, and Raphinha is now under threat of punishment for his actions after the game.

Despite trailing by two goals after the first leg, Barcelona started with determination at the Metropolitano. Lamine Yamal scored just four minutes in to reignite hope, before Ferran Torres doubled the advantage that night, leveling the aggregate score to 2-2. However, Diego Simeone's team quickly responded. Ademola Lookman scored only seven minutes later, securing Atletico Madrid's spot in the semi-finals, where they will face the winner of the Arsenal vs Sporting CP tie.

Another turning point arrived in the second half when Ferran Torres netted the ball once more, but the goal was disallowed due to an offside violation after VAR intervention. Not stopping there, Eric Garcia was also sent off in the 79th minute after fouling Alexander Sorloth in a one-on-one situation with the goal.

Despite not playing due to injury, Raphinha became a focal point after the match. The Brazilian forward publicly criticized referee Clément Turpin, particularly regarding the incident where Dani Olmo was fouled by Koke in the penalty area without a penalty being awarded. After the match concluded, Raphinha also directed actions toward Atletico fans, allegedly implying that the home team would be eliminated in the semi-finals. Not stopping there, he continued to express his frustration to the media:

"This match was blatantly stolen. The referee made too many mistakes. Some of his decisions were unbelievable. I don't know how many fouls Atletico committed without receiving cards.

Everyone can make mistakes, but repeating them across multiple matches is unacceptable. We played very well, but were robbed of our opportunity. It's incredibly difficult when you have to triple your effort to win. I truly want to understand why the referee 'fears' Barcelona advancing."

These statements could lead Raphinha to face sanctions from UEFA. Previously, the organization imposed a suspension on Neymar for criticizing referees after PSG was eliminated by Manchester United in the 2019 Champions League.

According to Article 11 of UEFA's disciplinary regulations, actions that are insulting, improper, or detrimental to football's image can be penalized. This makes it entirely possible that Raphinha could be suspended in the near future.

After the Champions League defeat, Barcelona will return to La Liga with a home match against Celta Vigo on April 22.

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