German referee Felix Brych, left, shows a red card to...

German referee Felix Brych, left, shows a red card to Atletico Madrid's Fernando Torres, right, during the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, at Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona, Spain. Credit: EPA / Alberto Estevez

MADRID — Atletico Madrid players have suggested a referee bias in favor of Barcelona after losing their Champions League quarterfinal first leg.

Following the 2-1 defeat at the Camp Nou on Tuesday, when Atletico played most of the match with 10 men, players didn’t hide their disappointment in what they called unfair treatment by German referee Felix Brych.

Striker Fernando Torres, who was sent off in the 35th minute after two reckless tackles, said Atletico was “treated differently,” while defender Filipe Luis said Barcelona was “protected,” and people don’t want to see the Catalan club being eliminated at this stage.

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