Atletico Madrid question referee’s consistency after Barcelona defeat

Atletico Madrid accepted that Barcelona deserved their 2-1 victory at the Metropolitano, but players reportedly expressed private frustration over what they viewed as inconsistent refereeing by Javier Alberola Rojas.

According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Atletico did not use the officials’ decisions as an excuse for losing the La Liga match. However, members of Diego Simeone’s squad raised concerns behind closed doors about the way fouls, protests and yellow cards were handled, particularly during the first half.

The main source of their dissatisfaction was the difference in disciplinary treatment between the two sides. Alberola Rojas showed only one yellow card to Barcelona players before half-time, despite several incidents that Atletico felt should have resulted in bookings.

Those incidents included Raphinha’s challenge on Koke, a number of occasions involving holding, and protests from Barcelona players. Atletico’s players believed the referee was too lenient in dealing with those actions and complaints.

The statistics added to their sense of grievance. Both teams committed 14 fouls, yet Atletico Madrid received three yellow cards compared with one for Barcelona. The disparity reinforced the view among the Madrid players that the rules had not been applied consistently.

Despite those complaints, Simeone and his players made no attempt to disguise the reasons for the defeat on the pitch. The Atletico manager considered the result fair because Barcelona scored twice while his side managed only one goal.

Koke attributed the loss to Atletico’s lack of attacking effectiveness. Baena, meanwhile, warned that the team would not achieve its objectives unless it produced its best performances during matches.

The refereeing decisions nevertheless remained a prominent subject in the players’ discussions after the final whistle. Atletico’s concerns were not focused on a single incident, but on what they regarded as a pattern in the treatment of challenges and disciplinary offences.

The defeat left Barcelona having secured the result they wanted at the Metropolitano, while Atletico were left to reflect on both their attacking shortcomings and the officials’ contrasting use of yellow cards.