The Polish referee and central figure in Barcelona’s controversial elimination during last season’s Champions League semifinals against Inter Milan has finally broken his silence. His statements, far from calming the waters, have reignited the fury of Barcelonismo by claiming that his errors actually “benefited Barcelona.”
Football has a long memory, and the memory of Szymon Marciniak is particularly bitter for Culers. Nearly a year after that fateful night at the San Siro – where Barça saw their final dreams evaporate amidst questionable officiating – the referee has spoken out. He’s done so with a narrative that has both surprised and infuriated Barcelona.
“My Decisions Were in Favor of Barcelona”
During a recent event in Poland, Marciniak was approached by a Barça fan who reminded him of his performance in the Inter-Barça clash. The referee’s response, far from diplomatic, was a full-on counterattack.
“There is nothing to forgive. If you are honest, my decisions were in favor of Barcelona,” he stated emphatically.
Marciniak shields himself behind two plays corrected by VAR to support his argument:
- The Cubarsí penalty on Lautaro: Marciniak did not initially blow his whistle; it was VAR that forced him to award the penalty.
- The Barça Penalty: The Pole initially awarded a penalty to Barça, but video officiating corrected him, indicating the foul occurred “four or five centimeters outside the area.”
According to the official, these interventions prove his initial instinct was “pro-Barça” and that, without technology, Hansi Flick’s side would have been the beneficiary. However, this narrative conveniently ignores the clear foul on Gerard Martín that led to Inter’s equalizing goal. The goal that forced the tie into extra time in the second leg.
The Other Side of the Coin: What Marciniak Fails to Mention
Marciniak’s analysis seems to omit the specific points that sparked Culers’ rage back in May 2025. The core of the frustration lies in:
- The Criteria for Contact: Hansi Flick complained bitterly that every 50/50 decision went the way of the Nerazzurri.
- The Foul on Gerard Martín: The play leading to Inter’s third goal was preceded by clear contact on the homegrown youngster. Marciniak ignored it, and it resulted in the equalizer just one minute before the final whistle.
- Acerbi’s Handball: An incident inside the box that Pedri and company vehemently appealed for, which was never reviewed with the same scrutiny as other plays.
A Conflict Without End Between Barcelona and UEFA Officials
Marciniak’s words don’t just reopen a sporting wound. They reinforce the “us against the world” mentality that often surrounds the club in European competitions. For the referee, it is a matter of technical honesty. For Culers, it’s a lack of respect toward a team that felt wronged at the most critical moment of the season.
In the past, Marciniak labeled the criticisms from the Blaugrana players as “ridiculous” and “stupid.” Today, with the perspective of time, he seems more interested in polishing his image. That comes as the cost of understanding the grievances of a club that still feels that semifinal was decided by factors beyond the ball itself.
The players were clear following the match at the Giuseppe Meazza.
- Pedri: “It’s not the first time this has happened with this referee. UEFA should look into it; there are things I just don’t understand.”
- Eric García: “I’ve been to Inter’s stadium three times and external things always go against us. We all know what happened with this referee the last time we were here.”
Is this brutal honesty or a way to deflect pressure? The only certainty is that Marciniak is now firmly entrenched in that “black list” of referees who always seem to be at the eye of the storm whenever Barça crosses the Pyrenees.
