The Catalans, merciless with Istvan Kovacs after Barcelona

It was a difficult evening for the best-rated Romanian referee. Before the break, Kovacs only showed a yellow card to Pau Cubarsi for a foul committed in the position of the last defender, changing the decision only after he was called by his colleague in the VAR room, the German Christian Dingert, to review the phase.

Those from Barcelona are also irritated by the phase in which Marc Publill, Atletico defender, got his hands on the ball in his own box, considering that the ball was in play, respectively by the fact that Istvan Kovacs did not eliminate Koke despite the fouls committed by him, 3 in number.

How did the Spanish comment?

Recalling the elimination phase of Cubarsi, the Catalan newspaper SPORT wrote:

“The Romanian referee Istvan Kovacs, the same who, inexplicably, he only showed a yellow card to Kokealthough he committed three flagrant fouls in the first 45 minutes, consulted the VAR system to review a possible red card given to Cubarsi on Giuliano Simeone for a foul from the last defender position.

He decided to eliminate the Catalan centre-back and, curling over the ball, Julian Alvarez scored a superb goal from that very direct free-kick”.

“Cascading” reproaches from Barcelona for Istvan Kovacs

In another article, the SPORT journalists described the dismissal as “a borderline phase, where Cubarsi intersected with the running opponent and there was contact, but it will remain in question whether it was enough for a straight red card”.

And they added that “Istvan Kovacs was again the protagonist in another key phase, this time by omission, when Juan Musso passed to Pubill and the central defender touched the ball with his hand in the box. VAR did not intervene, Barcelona fans did not understand the performance of the referee”.

The phase claimed by Flick: Goalkeeper Musso plays the ball, Pubill gets his hands on it and places it in the corner of the small box

Another Catalan sports daily, Mundo Deportivo, also emphasized Istvan Kovacs' decision to pardon Koke for his second “yellow”:

“Just minutes before Pau Cubarsi was sent off with a straight red card following the intervention of VAR – who interpreted that he had committed a foul on Giuliano from the position of the last defender – Barça called for a second yellow card for Koke Resurrección.

The Atletico captain was booked in the 31st minute for a clear foul on Dani Olmo after the referee had already forgiven him in the 8th minute when the rojiblanco midfielder had committed a clear foul on the Terrassa footballer to stop a Barca counter-attack.

However, although Koke hit Lamine in the shin in the 39th minute, five minutes before Cubarsi saw the red card, the Romanian referee did not show him a second yellow, despite the protests of the Barça players”.

In Mundo Deportivo they accused Kovacs and UEFA to the face: “10 against 12, typical arbitration for UEFA”

Separately, in the match report, they took off the gloves and didn't take care of Kovacs:

“Aletico withstood Barcelona's dominating minutes, scored a superb free-kick through Julian Alvarez and, with an extra man by the “mercy and grace” of an extremely hostile referee to the hosts — as if the policy towards UEFA had not yet been paid —, cut the match in the second half through Sorloth”.

On the same note, the columnist added that “the elimination of Cubarsi, five minutes before half-time, was the key moment of the match and probably of the whole qualification.

Koke played with impunity, picking up just one of the three yellow cards he deserved up to that point for flagrant tackles on Olmo, Pedri and Lamine Yamal (who was already booked). But Kovacs allowed him to continue. In contrast, Cubarsi was not forgiven“.

As the words piled up, the chronicler, Joan Poqui, grew harsher:

“The Barça players had no choice but to run twice as far: in ten men and against twelve, including Kovacs, who, in typical UEFA biased refereeingmissed a penalty on Pubill's handball in the box; he caught the ball in his hand after Musso had already executed the throw-in from the corner of the small box”.