FIFA has officially announced the dismissal of the officials and referees from the recent Inter Milan vs. Barcelona. This decision comes after the referee failed to issue a clear Penalty following a dangerous tackle on Lamine Yamal
Barcelona fans were left frustrated and aggrieved after Inter Milan beat them 4-3 in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final, winning 7-6 on aggregate. The game was an intense, end-to-end affair with both teams giving their all over 210 minutes of play. Inter took the lead six times but couldn’t hold onto it, until Davide Frattesi’s extra-time goal sealed the win.
A key moment came when Lamine Yamal, just 17, was denied a penalty after being hauled down by Henrikh Mkhitaryan near the edge of the box. Initially, referee Szymon Marciniak pointed to the spot, but after a VAR review, he changed his mind and awarded a free kick instead. The reason for this decision was that the initial challenge occurred outside the box, and according to ESPN’s rules expert Dale Johnson, “For a tackle, it’s the first contact that causes the foul. Continuing contact into the box from a tackle isn’t a penalty.”
*Game Highlights:*
– *Inter Milan’s Goals:*
– Lautaro Martínez scored in the 21st minute, finishing a fine team move
– Hakan Calhanoglu converted a penalty in the 45th minute after Lautaro Martínez was fouled by Pau Cubarsí in the box
– Francesco Acerbi scored in the 93rd minute to equalize and send the game into extra time
– Davide Frattesi scored the winning goal in the 99th minute
– *Barcelona’s Goals:*
– Eric Garcia volleyed in the first goal in the 54th minute
– Dani Olmo powered home a header in the 60th minute
– Raphinha scored in the 87th minute
*Post-Game Reactions:*
– Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi praised his team’s heart and sacrifice, saying they gave it their all and deserved the win. “It took a super Inter – a round of applause for these guys, who put in two monstrous performances.”
– Barcelona coach Hansi Flick acknowledged Inter’s strength and experience but expressed pride in his team’s performance, saying they will be back next season to try and win the Champions League. “We have a young team and we will improve. Our job is to make this team better and better.”
– Inter Milan will face either PSG or Arsenal in the Champions League final on May 31 at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany.¹
