“I don’t understand…”: Fuming Rashford rages at controversial moment in Barcelona’s CL loss to Atletico

Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford made no secret of his frustration with a controversial call that went against Barcelona in their 2-0 Champions League defeat at the hands of Atletico Madrid. Controversy Barcelona left themselves with a mountain to climb as they slipped to a 2-0 loss to Atletico in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Wednesday. Barcelona were left ruing Pau Cubarsi’s first-half red card as strikes from Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth condemned them to the defeat. In Raphinha’s absence due to injury, Rashford started the game and while he amassed shots on goal, he failed to find the back of the net. The biggest talking point of the game was Barcelona being denied a penalty after Atletico defender Marc Pubill appeared to have handled the ball inside the penalty area. The incident occured in the 54th minute when goalkeeper Juan Musson passed the ball to an already yellow-carded Pubill, who controlled it with his hand, seemingly assuming that the play was not live. The Blaugrana passionately appealed for a penalty but referee Istvan Kovacs was not interested, and neither was VAR. After the final whistle, a fuming Rashford slammed the decision. Rashford makes point The United loanee told CBS Sports, “It’s clear to me: it’s a penalty. It’s happened before and it’s always been given. I don’t understand the decision.” “People talk about common sense, but common sense itself tells you it’s a penalty. Our reaction reflects that, but so does that of their own players. That counts, too.” He added, “I’ve been in similar situations in matches where the decision was a penalty. Ultimately, it’s hard not to complain when the decision goes against you.” Barca boss Hansi Flick remarked, “I don’t know what happens in the situation when the goalkeeper starts the game, the defender stops the ball with his hand and then plays again.” “For me, it’s a clear red card, well a second yellow card and a penalty. [The VAR] can explain why it’s not [reviewed the play]. I can’t believe it’s not a red card. It feels not good. It feels unfair. We have to accept it. We will fight next Tuesday.” The Catalan giants have since confirmed that lodged a formal complaint to UEFA regarding the incident. Featured image Denis Doyle via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!