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City Manager Says Rearrange Spot-Kick To Compensate Barca

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has accused Swedish referee Jonas Eriksson of’ ”rearranging” a previous mistake he made against Barcelona two years ago.

Eriksson awarded Barcelona a penalty and sent off City defender Martin Demichelis as the visitors won the Champions League last-16 first-leg tie.

“The referee decided the game. He was on Barcelona’s side from the beginning until the end.”

Pellegrini said a referee from Sweden should not have been chosen to officiate the game, and claimed Eriksson had “rearranged” a mistake he made in Barcelona’s Champions League quarter-final against AC Milan in 2012.

“I think it was not a good idea to put a referee from Sweden in charge of this match, and a referee who made an important mistake against Barcelona in a previous match. Today he rearranged it.

“The more important mistake is the foul against Navas, and secondly the penalty.

“Contact was outside the box – that is the foul, you cannot continue the foul. The first foul is outside the box. Before the penalty Barcelona did not have chances and we were preparing the way to score.”

Demichelis was sent off for the foul on Lionel Messi, who converted the resultant penalty to break the deadlock.

Meanwhile, City captain Vincent Kompany insisted his side could still win the tie, despite Barcelona doubling their lead just before full-time through Dani Alves.

“If the game is the same as today, and we manage to stay away from some fouls, we have got a chance in the second leg.”

“There was a lot of soft fouls. In the Premier League they would have not been given.”

The return leg takes place in the Nou Camp on Wednesday, 12 March.