Referee's Whistle Decides the Night as Barcelona Drill Copenhagen 4-1 in Champions League
29 January 2026
Match turning moment
Barcelona surged to a 4-1 victory over Copenhagen in the Champions League on a night defined by a late, controversial penalty decision.
In the second half, Lewandowski won a penalty for Barca, and Rafinha calmly converted from the spot, setting the tone for the visitors' late surge.
The decision was questioned by Itoralde Gonzalez, a respected tactical analyst for AS, who stated that the call was not correct and should not have stood.
Barcelona's route to victory
Barça added three more goals after the penalty, with Rafinha's 69th-minute strike marking a key moment as the team closed out the match with authority.
Barça ultimately won 4-1, securing direct qualification to the knockout rounds of the competition.
Aftermath and implications
The result confirmed Barcelona's progress to the Round of 16, while Copenhagen were left to reflect on a tough group-stage exit despite a valiant effort.
Two light punchlines follow the analysis: first, if that penalty had been a sniper, it would have hit the target on the first take; second, the whistle blew with such force that even the VAR asked for a coffee break.