Atlético's under-16s on the end of woeful refereeing at the Messi Cup

Atlético's under-16 side went out of the semi-finals on penalties against River Plate. Rubén Uría watched the game and calls the refereeing a disgrace. It hurts him not for the club's sake, but for the kids.

Rubén Uría returns to Atlético's semi-final exit at the Messi Cup, the under-16 tournament in Miami, after a 2-2 draw with River Plate and defeat on penalties. He knows people will ask how he can complain about the referee at a tournament for 15-year-olds, and his answer is that this is precisely why.

He was able to watch the match, although the rights holders did not allow it to be shown on the channel, unlike the wins over Inter Miami and Barça. What hurts, he explains, is seeing biased refereeing even with kids. It is not about him or the fans, but about a group of youngsters who gave everything.

He points to a perfectly legitimate goal ruled out for an offside that was two metres off, with no VAR, and to an assistant referee who raised his flag every time Atlético attacked.

He takes nothing away from River, a superb team with brilliant young players, but insists the refereeing was a disgrace and denied Atlético's youngsters a place in the final.