Barcelona Resubmits Protest on Handball Call in Atletico Madrid Clash to UEFA

The Spanish side announced in a statement that various refereeing calls during the two legs of the fixture, which Atletico secured 3-2 overall, "failed to follow the Laws of the Game, stemming from a misguided use of the rules and inadequate VAR checks on obviously crucial moments."

The Catalan outfit, which saw both games end with ten players on the pitch after red cards to Pau Cubarsi followed by Eric Garcia, feels they suffered from numerous controversial rulings, among them two likely penalty claims that escaped VAR review.

"The buildup of these mistakes directly affected how the games unfolded and the tie's end result, inflicting major sporting and economic damage on the club," noted the current Spanish title holders.

Barcelona indicated that the side "repeats the appeals already lodged with UEFA" and pledges to "partner with the body to refine the officiating process for stricter, more equitable and open enforcement" of the rules.

On Tuesday, UEFA turned down as "inadmissible" the first objection from the five-time Champions League victors about a handball on a goal kick by Atletico's back Marc Pubill in the opening leg, a contest their opponents claimed 2-0.