Some defeats are accepted.
You lose, and you prepare for whatever comes next; for the rest of the season
And then there are nights where staying silent simply isn’t an option.
Atletico Madrid contact UEFA demanding explanations
According to Marca, Atletico Madrid contacted UEFA on Wednesday morning to formally request explanations regarding three specific incidents from the previous night’s Champions League semi-final against Arsenal.
The first centres on a penalty that wasn’t given.
Calafiori pushed Giuliano inside the box, an incident Atletico believe was a clear foul worthy of a spot kick.
The decision was ruled out due to an alleged offside, despite the Argentine having started the move from his own half.
The club believe that decision was incorrect.
The second complaint is arguably even more damning.
A stamp from Calafiori on Antoine Griezmann, caught clearly on camera, was not awarded as a penalty.
The referee ruled it out on the basis of a supposed foul by Pubill in the build-up.
However, there wasn’t a foul, with Gabriel going down easily.
The third grievance moves away from the penalty box entirely.
Just five minutes of added time were played despite repeated and blatant time wasting throughout the match.
With Atletico Madrid claiming that barely a minute and a half of that five was actually live playing time.
In a match decided by the finest of margins, those extra minutes could have been decisive.
Taken together, they paint a picture of a club that feels genuinely wronged at the highest level of European football.
Arsenal will argue they won the game on merit, and there’s a legitimate case to be made for that.
But, Atletico Madrid aren’t disputing the quality of their opponents.
They’re disputing the standard of the officiating.
Whether UEFA’s response satisfies them is another matter entirely.
However, the formal complaint has been made.
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