Barcelona’s Iñigo Martínez Denies Spitting Incident

Incident During Champions League Semi-Final

Iñigo Martínez, a defender for Barcelona, has refuted claims of a spitting incident following their defeat to Inter Milan in the Champions League semi-final. The controversy arose after Martínez reacted to a celebration by Inter’s Francesco Acerbi. „No, he celebrated directly in my ear, and I became angry. The spitting was not directed at him at all,“ Martínez stated after Inter Milan’s 4-3 victory.

The incident occurred after a penalty was awarded to Inter, leading to their 2-0 lead. Referee Szymon Marciniak consulted with the video assistant referee but decided to issue only a warning to Martínez. The Barcelona defender emphasized that the referee correctly assessed the situation. „I would have been sent off immediately if the spit had been aimed at him,“ the 33-year-old center-back remarked. There is a possibility that UEFA may review the incident further.