Inter claimed a crucial win over Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday, but it was not an evening without controversy.
Barca boss Xavi was absolutely fuming at full time, after two contentious calls by the officials went against his side.
In the second half, with Inter 1-0 up, Barcelona midfielder Pedri had a goal ruled out for a handball by Ansu Fati in the buildup, before a late penalty claim was turned down by VAR.
Speaking to the media after the match, Xavi called the decisions an "injustice" and called on the referee to publicly answer for his calls.
Inter v Barcelona: Xavi fuming with referee calls
Hakan Calhanoglu's first half stunner was ultimately the difference between Inter and Barcelona on Tuesday night, in a crucial Champions League group tie. With Bayern Munich also in the group, every point will be crucial - and the manner in which Barcelona lost this game may linger as a bone of contention if they do not progress to the last 16.
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The decision to rule out Pedri's second half equaliser for a handball by Ansu Fati drew the ire of Barcelona. The laws around handballs in the buildup to a goal were changed recently to allow attacking teams the benefit of the doubt when accidental handballs occur but, nonetheless, the Barcelona goal was disallowed.
It was a later handball call that had Barcelona boss Xavi fuming, however. With the game on a knife edge entering injury time, a handball by Denzel Dumfries looked to have given Barcelona a penalty and cost Inter the win.
VAR, however, overturned the decision, leaving the Italian side to see out the final few minutes.
Barcelona were denied a late penalty in the final moments of their match against Inter last night... 😲
Was it the right call from the referee?#UCL pic.twitter.com/0ynT1YR0NI— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) October 5, 2022
Speaking on the decision after the game, Barca boss Xavi said:
I'm pissed off, because it's an injustice that we've had to experience.
We've suffered a very important defeat - we have three finals left in a very uncomfortable situation.
The referee should speak. For me, it's a very clear handball. The referee is very important in this sport, and he should go out and give explanations. He didn't want to give them to me. He gave me explanations of the plays he had cancelled, but I asked him about the last one.
With the group stages already at the halfway point, Barcelona look to be in trouble. They have only three points from their first three games, and sit in third place behind Bayern and Inter.
Defeat in their next game against Inter would likely put paid to their chances of progressing to the last 16, and see them knocked out at the group stages for a second successive year.
Xavi is feeling the pressure:
This is the Champions League and we should compete better. We created more chances than they did, but they defend very well. I'm worried about the defeat, it's a complex situation and we have three finals left.
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