Barcelona 6 Olympiacos 1 — A controversial red card made it easy for Barca

If you just see the scoreline, you will think Barcelona simply ran riot. A 6-1 win at the Camp Nou looks like a routine rout against the Greek side. But those who watched the match know there was far more to the story. A controversial moment in the 57th minute changed everything, tilting the game firmly in Barcelona’s favour and leaving Olympiacos furious.

Up to that point, the match was nicely poised. Olympiacos had fought bravely, even pulling one back through Ayoub El Kaabi’s penalty in the 54th minute to make it 2-1. The Greek side looked confident, organised, and ready to trouble the home team. Then came the flashpoint — a moment that completely altered the flow of the night.

Santiago Hezze, already on a yellow card, was sent off after a clash with Barcelona’s Marc Casado. The referee, Urs Schnyder, immediately reached for his pocket, showing a second yellow and then the red. But replays told a different story. Casado had actually initiated the contact by holding Hezze first. Only after that did Hezze make minimal, seemingly accidental contact with Casado’s face. Casado went down clutching his face, and the referee’s decision left both Olympiacos players and fans stunned.

From there, the match slipped away. Reduced to ten men, Olympiacos could not contain Barcelona’s attacking firepower. In a devastating 11-minute spell, the Catalan side scored four goals, turning what had been a competitive contest into a one-sided scoreline.

Fermin Lopez was the star of the evening, scoring three well-taken goals that showcased his intelligence and timing. Rashford looked sharp and hungry, while young Lamine Yamal displayed poise with a composed penalty kick.

Still, the night ended with a sense of injustice. Olympiacos’ players left the pitch frustrated, feeling the referee’s decision had robbed them of any chance to fight back. What could have been a thrilling European contest instead became a story of what might have been.