Barcelona star Gavi: Match officials 'didn't want us' to reach Champions League final

The result has sparked fierce criticism from the Catalan club, with several key figures voicing frustration over the officiating.

The match was overseen by Polish referee Szymon Marciniak, whose decisions drew ire from Barcelona players, head coach Hansi Flick, and club president Joan Laporta.

Flick and midfielder Pedri both lamented that "every 50-50 decision went in Inter's favour," highlighting what they perceived as a one-sided performance from the referee.

Young star Gavi took to social media after the final whistle to express his anger, specifically pointing out that Inter's Henrikh Mkhitaryan should have received a yellow card earlier in the match for a foul on Lamine Yamal.

"It's really tough, especially knowing how close we were. They didn't want us to reach the final because they were scared of the season we are having," Gavi wrote in an Instagram story via Mundo Deportivo.

"It doesn't matter how many years we've gone without winning the Champions League, even if I know it's hard and I wish we could win it every year.

"I'm sure we'll win it if we stick together. I know it will come. No matter how frustrated we are now, we can still finish this season by winning three tiles, something nobody expected before the start of the season."

The lack of disciplinary action fuelled ongoing frustration among the Barcelona camp, who believed officiating played a pivotal role in their exit.

Despite Barcelona's protests, Inter held their nerve and secured a place in the Champions League Final, where they will face Paris Saint-Germain.

The final is scheduled to take place at the Allianz Arena in Munich on 31 May. 

READ MORE: Achraf Hakimi excited for "special" Champions League final with former team