An Inter fan criticized referee Szymon Marciniak for his performance during the dramatic Inter-Barcelona semi-final (4-3, a.p.) in May 2025. The referee defended himself, saying he was initially deceived in favor of Barcelona. Almost a year later, some Catalan fans still can’t get over the crazy scenario of the Champions League semi-final second leg between Inter Milan and FC Barcelona (4-3, a.p.). One of them confronted the referee, Szymon Marciniak, at an event in Poland, criticizing his performance that night. In a rather cordial conversation on the field, the fan told Marciniak, “I haven’t forgiven you for your performance last year.”
“I made two decisions in favor of Barcelona and VAR corrected me”
The Polish referee calmly admitted that he had been mistaken—specifically in favor of Barcelona—before being corrected by VAR. He referred to a penalty given to Inter Milan after a foul by Pau Cubarsi on Lautaro Martinez, which Marciniak initially did not penalize (42nd minute). In the second half, he then awarded Barcelona a penalty for a foul by Henrikh Mkhitaryan on Lamine Yamal (68th minute), which was eventually turned into a free-kick since the tackle had been made a few centimeters before the penalty area line.
“From my point of view, there is nothing to forgive,” responded the referee to the Catalan fan. “If we’re honest, my decisions were in favor of Barcelona. I did not give the penalty (to Inter), VAR called me and showed me there was a foul. Secondly, I awarded a penalty (to Barcelona) and VAR corrected me because it was four or five centimeters outside (the penalty area). If we’re being honest, I made two decisions in favor of Barcelona and VAR corrected me. That’s life.”
Marciniak’s argument only led to an attempted bribe from the fan: “If I give you 100 pounds (115 euros), will you whistle a penalty for Barcelona?” “No, no, no,” replied the referee before walking away.
Following this intense match, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick, several players, and the Catalan press cried foul over the refereeing. They criticized several decisions, including the penalty for the foul by Pau Cubarsi on Lautaro Martinez, a handball by Franceso Acerbi in the penalty area that went unnoticed, a foul not penalized on the 3-3 equalizer in stoppage time, and the absence of a red card for Henrikh Mkhitaryan (already cautioned) for a tackle on Lamine Yamal at the edge of the penalty area. “Some refereeing decisions were unfair and did not favor us, but we have to accept it and start over. (…) I told the referee what I thought, but I won’t say it here,” Flick said to the press.
