Barcelona was right! UEFA puts an end to the high-profile Pubill handball scandal

Barcelona has finally achieved a moral victory.

Details: UEFA has issued clear instructions to referees: if an outfield player deliberately handles the ball with their hand inside their own penalty area after the ball has already come into play, the referee must award a penalty kick. No additional interpretations or so-called "common sense" should be applied in such situations.

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The new directive directly recalls the controversial episode in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal between Barcelona and Atlético, which took place on April 8, 2026.

After a goal kick, Atlético’s goalkeeper Juan Musso played the ball to Marc Pubill. The defender stopped it with his hand inside his own penalty box, even though the ball was already in play. However, the main referee István Kovács did not award a penalty, and VAR did not invite him to review the incident.

Barcelona filed an official complaint and demanded that the refereeing error be acknowledged, but UEFA's disciplinary body declared the protest inadmissible. Now, the European football governing body has effectively confirmed the Catalan club’s position—albeit indirectly—by issuing new instructions to referees.

It's worth noting that at the time of the controversial incident, Barcelona was trailing Atlético 0-1, and the match ultimately ended in defeat for the Catalans—0-2. Over the two legs, Barcelona lost to the Madrid side and failed to reach the Champions League semifinals.

Reminder: Negotiations to start in the coming days. PSG preparing transfer for Barcelona player.