Deniz Aytekin: UEFA “to demote” referee who “gifted” Barca “dubious” comeback over PSG

BARCELONA, SPAIN – MARCH 08: Marco Verratti (M) and Thiago Silva of PSG discuss with referee Deniz Aytekin after his call on a penalty kick during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg match between FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain at Camp Nou on March 08, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Vladimir Rys Photography/Getty Images)

Barcelona FC’s historic comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League may not have happened without questionable officiating, feelers from UEFA suggests.

Barcelona beat their French rivals 6-1 to overturn a 4-0 deficit suffered during the first leg. They’re the first team to achieve such comeback in the history of the competition.

But it seems the Spanish giant got little help from German referee Deniz Aytekin.

Aytekin could be facing a spell on the sidelines as a result of his performance in that game, Marca reported.

OPINION: Barcelona can’t win without referee’s help…watch

Pierluigi Collina is UEFA’s head of refereeing and is responsible for assigning officials to the various fixtures in the Champions League and Europa League alongside his team of collaborators.

Collina will decide what lies ahead for Aytekin although Marca understands that his prospects of officiating another Champions League fixture this season do not look good.

UEFA sources confirmed to MARCA that it is Collina’s way of cutting mistakes out from his team of officials.

BARCELONA, SPAIN – MARCH 8: Referee Deniz Aytekin of Germany grants the first penalty to Barcelona while Thiago Silva and goalkeeper of PSG Kevin Trapp protest to the assistant referee during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg match between FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at Camp Nou on March 8, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)

However the body won’t strictly punish the German official, although he could find himself demoted to lesser profile games for the time being or simply removed from action for a specific period.

The penalty decision that put Barcelona within a goal of pulling off the unlikely fightback was controversial as Luis Suarez went down under minimal contact.

Aytekin pointed to the spot much to the fury of the PSG players who had already seen the referee book Suarez for diving earlier in the game.

Source: Marca and Metro Football.