Barcelona star İlkay Gündoğan has revealed his frustration with the standard of officiating in the club’s meeting with Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.
This comes with the German international of the opinion that he was denied a clear-cut penalty during the 2nd-half of the clash.
Barca, of course, were sent packing from the Champions League at the quarter-final stage last night.
En route to as much, the subject of refereeing took its place front and centre in the headlines, with Barcelona having seen all of defender Ronald Araújo, manager Xavi and a member of the club’s coaching staff sent off.
PSG were awarded a 2nd-half spot-kick, too.
Post-match, Xavi was not at all shy in making clear his grievances with developments, essentially blaming referee Istvan Kovacs for his side’s defeat.
And, as alluded to above, joining his manager in airing his disappointment in the early hours of Wednesday was İlkay Gündoğan.
Veteran midfielder Gündoğan went to ground under a challenge in the PSG penalty area at an absolutely pivotal point in proceedings in Catalunya’s capital last night.
Upon the 33-year-old returning to his feet, adamant that he should have been afforded a penalty, however, referee Kovacs waved play on.
Speaking to the media post-match at Montjuïc, it therefore came as little surprise when his spot-kick appeal was put to Gündoğan himself.
And the former Manchester City man went on to explain that:
“I think I deserved a penalty. I was running and he clearly blocked me. I told the referee that it was a penalty, and I got a yellow card instead.”
Conor Laird | GSFN
