Following a thrilling and hard-fought 4-3 comeback win by Inter Milan on Tuesday evening, the Italian side successfully secured a spot in the upcoming UEFA Champions League final in Munich. Their advancement is now only contingent upon the outcome of the match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain. Meanwhile, their Spanish opponents, FC Barcelona, were left to come to terms with a heartbreaking and emotionally charged loss.
According to El Nacional, the defeat has caused significant tension within the Barcelona camp, particularly from head coach Hansi Flick. The German manager reportedly directed a large portion of the blame toward Polish referee Szymon Marciniak, suggesting that his decisions had a direct impact on the club’s elimination from the competition. Flick strongly believes that Marciniak missed two obvious penalty calls in favor of Barcelona and failed to whistle for a foul in the buildup to Inter Milan’s dramatic equalizing goal in the final moments of regulation time.
However, Flick’s displeasure extended beyond the officiating. As per the same report, the coach also delivered sharp criticism toward two of Barcelona’s young defenders, Pau Cubarsí and Gerard Martín, for their underwhelming performances on the night. Cubarsí was responsible for conceding a crucial penalty that led to Inter’s second goal, while Martín’s defensive lapses reportedly contributed to two additional goals by the Italian side.
Furthermore, Flick was said to be incensed by the actions—or lack thereof—of Ronald Araújo, who failed to properly mark Inter’s Francesco Acerbi in the dying minutes of the game. This defensive error allowed Inter to score the equalizer, which pushed the game into extra time. In reaction to this costly mistake, Flick reportedly demanded that Araújo be removed from the squad immediately and went as far as urging club president Joan Laporta to arrange for his sale during the upcoming transfer window.
Despite these frustrations, the coach did acknowledge the dedication and work ethic of two players—Pedri and Lamine Yamal. Flick commended them for their consistent effort, high energy, and intensity throughout the match. However, he also expressed regret that their strong performances were overshadowed by repeated defensive errors and the near-total absence of influence from Raphinha, who was only noticeably involved in the build-up to Barcelona’s third goal.
In an unexpected development following the loss, President Laporta reportedly entered the team’s dressing room to personally show support for the squad. However, even he seemed to echo Flick’s dissatisfaction with Araújo’s performance. According to reports, Laporta directly told the Uruguayan defender that he should begin searching for a new club, citing a pattern of critical mistakes that have cost the team dearly in key moments.
