Unfortunately, Europe’s top club football competition is not only a stage for glory, but also for controversy. Among them, the biggest Champions League controversies that have marked the tournament’s history.
From refereeing errors to corruption scandals, they reveal the dark side of the sport.
Below, let’s explore more details about the 8 biggest Champions League controversies.
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8 Biggest Champions League Controversies 2025 and Previous Years
TOP 8 | The biggest Champions League controversies
1. Real Madrid vs Atlético de Madrid (2024-2025): Fines for Offensive Celebrations
After qualifying for the Round of 16 in the 2024-25 Champions League, Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid) was fined €40,000 for a “throat-slitting” gesture directed at Atlético de Madrid fans. However, he wasn’t the only player punished. Kylian Mbappé and Dani Ceballos also received sanctions for celebrations deemed provocative.
It’s worth remembering that Real Madrid, the all-time Champions League record holders, were eliminated by Arsenal in the quarterfinals and are no longer in the competition in 2025.
2. Champions League Reform 2025
Without a doubt, 2025 will be a landmark year for the competition, as many changes are being implemented and causing controversy.
In the new format, we saw problems for clubs like Manchester City and Real Madrid, who were used to dominating smaller groups, struggling to adapt to the marathon of ten matches.
3. Real Madrid and Pressure on Referees
Also in 2025, Real Madrid canceled press conferences before the Copa del Rey final after referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea criticized the club in tears.
RMTV, the club’s official channel, had highlighted past mistakes by the referee, leading to his emotional breakdown.
The incident exposed chronic tension between the club and Spanish refereeing, with Madrid accusing the RFEF of bias.
4. Chelsea vs Barcelona (2009): The Peak of Refereeing Outrage
Some of the biggest Champions League controversies are linked to refereeing, including the 2008-09 semifinal between Chelsea and Barcelona-one of the most controversial games in the competition’s history.
In the second leg at Stamford Bridge, Norwegian referee Tom Henning Øvrebø ignored at least four clear penalty incidents in Chelsea’s favor, including a foul by Éric Abidal on Didier Drogba and a deliberate handball by Gerard Piqué.
Andrés Iniesta equalized in stoppage time, sending Barcelona through on away goals. Drogba, furious, shouted at the cameras: “It’s a disgrace!”-a phrase that became symbolic of the season.
Years later, Øvrebø admitted mistakes, but Chelsea’s elimination fueled conspiracy theories and highlighted the urgent need for VAR.
It’s worth noting that refereeing issues are not only among the biggest Champions League controversies but are also part of Brazilian football, as you can see in the special article: “Refereeing Controversies in the 2025 Brasileirão: Understand the Most Controversial Cases So Far.”
5. Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich (2017): Cristiano Ronaldo’s Ghost Goals
In the 2016-17 quarterfinals, Real Madrid eliminated Bayern Munich amid a storm of refereeing errors.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals from clear offside positions, both validated by referee Viktor Kassai. The second, in extra time, was decisive for a 4-2 aggregate win.
Bayern’s coach at the time, Carlo Ancelotti, called the refereeing “a joke,” while the German media stoked one of the biggest Champions League controversies by denouncing alleged chronic favoritism toward Real Madrid in crucial matches.
6. Olympique de Marseille (1993): The Trophy Tainted by Bribery
The first French Champions League triumph was overshadowed by a corruption scandal. A week before the final against Milan, investigations revealed that Marseille president Bernard Tapie had bribed Valenciennes players to take it easy in a domestic league match.
The discovery of envelopes with 250,000 francs buried in the garden of a relative of one of those involved sealed the club’s conviction and marked one of the biggest Champions League controversies.
Although the European title was not revoked, Marseille was administratively relegated, and Tapie faced criminal charges.
Also read: 6 Scandals at the CBF in 2025: Dossier Summarizing the Entity’s Controversies So Far
7. Milan vs Inter (2005): The Battle of the Flares
The Derby della Madonnina, the name for the clash between Milan’s most prominent football clubs, Internazionale and AC Milan, in the 2004-05 Champions League quarterfinals ended in chaos.
With Inter losing 3-0 on aggregate, fans threw flares at Milan goalkeeper Dida, burning his shoulder.
The match was interrupted, and Milan was awarded victory by forfeit. UEFA fined Inter €132,000 and ordered them to play four matches without fans-a milestone in the fight against stadium violence in Europe.
8. Juventus vs Real Madrid (2018): Buffon’s Explosion
In extra time of the 2018 quarterfinals, referee Michael Oliver awarded a controversial penalty to Real Madrid after an alleged simulation by Lucas Vázquez. Gianluigi Buffon, one of the greatest goalkeepers in history, was outraged and verbally abused Oliver, shouting: “You have no heart!”
As a result, Buffon was sent off and publicly criticized the decision, calling the referee a “dream thief.”
Real Madrid advanced and won the title, while Buffon remained without a Champions League trophy in his career.
These are some of the biggest Champions League controversies, revealing a sport in constant tension between sporting justice and commercial interests.
While UEFA implements technological and structural changes, cases like Chelsea in 2009 and Real Madrid in 2017 remind us that football, at its core, is human-and therefore full of flaws.
The competition remains a mirror of society’s contradictions: glorious, dramatic, and sometimes deeply unfair.
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