Barca Coach Flick Fumes over Refereeing Decisions in Defeat at Inter

FC Barcelona's coach Hansi Flick gestures during the UEFA Champions League semifinal 2nd leg soccer match between Inter Milan and FC Barcelona, in Milan, Italy, 06 May 2025. EPA/Roberto Bregani
FC Barcelona's coach Hansi Flick gestures during the UEFA Champions League semifinal 2nd leg soccer match between Inter Milan and FC Barcelona, in Milan, Italy, 06 May 2025. EPA/Roberto Bregani
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Barca Coach Flick Fumes over Refereeing Decisions in Defeat at Inter

FC Barcelona's coach Hansi Flick gestures during the UEFA Champions League semifinal 2nd leg soccer match between Inter Milan and FC Barcelona, in Milan, Italy, 06 May 2025. EPA/Roberto Bregani
FC Barcelona's coach Hansi Flick gestures during the UEFA Champions League semifinal 2nd leg soccer match between Inter Milan and FC Barcelona, in Milan, Italy, 06 May 2025. EPA/Roberto Bregani

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick was upset over several refereeing decisions in his side's 4-3 loss at Inter Milan that stopped the Catalans reaching their first Champions League final in a decade after an extra-time goal by home substitute Davide Frattesi.
Barca thought they had victory in the bag when they roared back from two goals down to grab a 3-2 lead with Raphinha's goal in the 87th minute but Inter equalized through Francesco Acerbi in added time to stay alive and then scored the winner.
Flick criticized Polish referee Szymon Marciniak who had a busy night in the semi-final, second leg at San Siro, with Inter advancing 7-6 on aggregate to face Paris St Germain or Arsenal.
He awarded Inter a penalty after a VAR review for a challenge by Pau Cubarsi on Lautaro Martinez that he did not deem an infringement and later reversed a decision he had signaled as a spot kick for Barcelona, with VAR saying Henrikh Mkhitaryan's foul on Lamine Yamal was just outside the box.
Barca's players and bench also complained about what they thought was handball inside the box by Inter defender Acerbi and a foul by fullback Denzel Dumfries on Gerard Martin in the build-up to the equalizer which took the game to extra time.
"I don't want to talk too much about the referee, but every decision that was 50-50 went (Inter's) way," German Flick told a press conference.
"I am disappointed, but not with my team. They tried everything. It's the way it is. We are out, but next year we will try again to make the fans happy.
"It makes me sad ... My team did an excellent job. I don't like talking about the referee ... I've told him what I think, but I'm not going to say it here what I've said..."
Barca were chasing a treble after winning the Copa del Rey, but will now turn their focus to LaLiga, where they top the table and on Sunday host rivals Real Madrid, who trail them by four points with four games to go.
The five-times winners were hoping to reach their first Champions League final in a decade, but were left licking their wounds ahead of Sunday's 'El Clasico'.
Unbeaten domestically since late December, Barcelona will try to grab a fourth consecutive victory over Real this season.
"We'll learn from this. It's a progression. We want to keep learning. We don't have much time to train now, but next weekend we are back. It's normal to be disappointed," Flick said.
"The team deserves the respect they have earned. We play to win, we want to win titles and we have LaLiga, with a very difficult match. We have a few days to prepare for this match.
"Each player, when they get home, can look in the mirror and be proud of themselves. We'll analyze the game calmly and see what we can do."



Swiatek’s Struggles Continue as Title Defense in Rome Ended by Collins

 Poland's Iga Swiatek reacts during the women's singles match against US' Danielle Collins of the WTA Rome Open tennis tournament at Foro Italico in Rome on May 10, 2025. (AFP)
Poland's Iga Swiatek reacts during the women's singles match against US' Danielle Collins of the WTA Rome Open tennis tournament at Foro Italico in Rome on May 10, 2025. (AFP)
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Swiatek’s Struggles Continue as Title Defense in Rome Ended by Collins

 Poland's Iga Swiatek reacts during the women's singles match against US' Danielle Collins of the WTA Rome Open tennis tournament at Foro Italico in Rome on May 10, 2025. (AFP)
Poland's Iga Swiatek reacts during the women's singles match against US' Danielle Collins of the WTA Rome Open tennis tournament at Foro Italico in Rome on May 10, 2025. (AFP)

Holder Iga Swiatek crashed out of the Italian Open to American Danielle Collins after a 6-1 7-5 third-round loss on Saturday in a major upset that will cost the Pole the world number two ranking as the defense of her French Open title looms.

Swiatek held a commanding 7-1 head-to-head record against Collins before the contest and yet another early defeat does not bode well for the 23-year-old, who has not won a tournament since her fourth triumph at Roland Garros last year.

"I played against Iga so many times ... When you play that many close matches and get this close and also play some of your best tennis and lose, I think you learn a lot," Collins, 31, said. "I feel like I applied that today, to the match."

Five-times Grand Slam champion Swiatek went 5-0 down in the opening set before getting on the board to avoid a bagel.

Collins was lethal from the baseline, mixing it up with forehand and backhand service return winners as she picked apart Swiatek's serve in an opening set that was one-way traffic.

The second was level at 4-4 as Swiatek showed flashes of brilliance, but 31-year-old 2022 Australian Open runner-up Collins showed no mercy, sealing victory in one hour and 44 minutes when a return went wide.

Collins fired 32 winners and converted six of eight break points while Swiatek, who had won the tournament three times in the last four years, made 22 unforced errors.

Swiatek has lost nine matches this year - as many as in all of 2024 - while she has not reached a claycourt final ahead of her bid to retain the French Open title later this month.

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