Barcelona has officially received a response from the Technical Referees Committee concerning the grievance the club recently submitted, following the mounting frustration within the Catalan administration over refereeing decisions in domestic competitions.
The Copa del Rey clash between Barcelona and Atlético Madrid became the focal point of controversy after defender Pau Cubarsí‘s goal was annulled following an extensive video review lasting over six minutes. This incident unveiled a recognized malfunction in the semi-automated offside system, which was cited as the cause of the prolonged delay in reaching a verdict.
Contentious Moments Fueling Barcelona’s Discontent
Another contentious episode that ignited Barcelona’s ire involved Girona’s goal scored by Fran Beltrán in the 90th minute. This goal was preceded by an incident where Echeverri stepped on defender Conde, leaving the Frenchman incapacitated on the pitch and unable to continue. Remarkably, the ball crossed the area where Conde lay on the grass before Echeverri delivered it into the net guarded by goalkeeper Juan García.
According to Spain’s Cadena SER radio, Barcelona has already received the official reply following the formal letter dispatched last Saturday to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). The correspondence was addressed to the federation president, the head of the Technical Referees Committee, the official responsible for video assistant referee (VAR) technology, and the director of legal affairs. Within this message, Barça expressed profound concern over the recurrence of what it deems detrimental refereeing decisions, lacking consistent standards.
Nevertheless, sources indicate that the official response was deemed unsatisfactory by the Catalan delegation. The club maintains the position that Spain’s VAR system is the “worst in Europe.” In light of this, Barcelona advocates for clubs to be granted the capacity to proactively request footage reviews, a practice already implemented in the Spanish Federation’s First Division league.
Looking ahead, the Catalan club intends to convene an urgent meeting with the Spanish Federation to deliberate these issues thoroughly, aiming to establish mechanisms that ensure greater uniformity and fairness in refereeing rulings.