The Spanish FA (RFEF) has released VAR audio footage of Real Madrid’s Clasico victory on Sunday night after Barcelona president Joan Laporta refused to rule out the possibility of requesting a replay.
Laporta suggested Barcelona could formally request a replay or take legal action against the RFEF, responsible for La Liga refereeing, after Lamine Yamal’s shot was ruled not to have crossed the goal line.
Yamal thought he had given Barcelona a 2-1 lead in the first half, but his effort failed to cross the line conclusively.
La Liga does not have goal-line technology and after a VAR check – the broadcast footage showed only two angles from which it was impossible to tell with certainty – the score remained at 1-1. Jude Bellingham’s stoppage-time winner ultimately sealed a dramatic 3-2 victory for Real Madrid.
“Goal-line technology is not a financial question, it’s a usage question,” La Liga president Javier Tebas said earlier in the campaign, explaining the competition’s decision not to use the system. “In a season there are only four or five such incidents.”
In a four-minute on-camera monologue released on Monday afternoon, Laporta said Barca had requested the RFEF footage and VAR audio for the incident and had not ruled out requesting a replay of the match Sunday. Madrid’s victory put them 11 points clear at the top of the table.
“I would like to express my dissatisfaction that the day after one of the most important matches of the season, the misuse of VAR sets our agenda,” Laporta said.
He said he had never defended VAR because “it takes away the spontaneity of football”, but added “since we have it, it should always be used to avoid mistakes which could lead to unfair decisions “.
He added that his team’s match against Madrid illustrated “poor management of VAR” and that “contradictory criteria were applied depending on the teams involved”, which “underestimated our league”.
President @JoanLaportaFCB: “There are tools like VAR which should contribute to fairer competition and not the other way around” pic.twitter.com/qdmav3BP3e
– FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) April 22, 2024
He added: “There were several questionable decisions but one of them could have led to a change in the final result of the match: Lamine’s so-called ghost goal.
“That is why I would like to inform you that Barcelona will immediately request the images and audio of the incident from the Technical Referees Commission and the RFEF.
“If we analyze this and believe that an assessment error has occurred, we will implement all appropriate actions to reverse the situation and will not rule out any necessary legal proceedings.” If it is confirmed that it was a legal goal, we do not rule out requesting a replay of the match.
Laporta concluded by saying that Barcelona “lived defenseless” in the face of refereeing decisions that “harmed us and benefited our rival – showing the points gap that exists at the top of La Liga.”
Later on Monday, the RFEF released audio of the dialogue between VAR officials during Sunday night’s match in what it called a “new exercise in transparency.”
📹 We experience the Classic through audio from the referee team.
🏆 Just like after the final of #CopaDelReywe collect the conversations that took place during the game.
⚽️ New transparency exercise by the @CTARFEF
ℹ️ https://t.co/bANJHMvEng#RFEFArbitration pic.twitter.com/cwNysb8QLE
–RFEF (@rfef) April 22, 2024
After Yamal’s shot, one of the assistant referees can be heard saying “damn (hostias)” twice in rapid repetition, before suggesting that a corner be given. Before the ball is taken, the VAR official informs referee Cesar Soto Grado that he will carry out a check.
As Barca players gather around him to demand a goal be awarded, Soto Grado tells Ilkay Gundogan that “there is no technology on the goal line”, before the audio exchange VAR officials cannot be heard.
“Stop it at the point of contact when it hits Lunin’s gloves and turn it over,” one says.
Another added: “Cesar, wait a second, we’re going to do a 360 to look for the evidence because we don’t have it.
“Lunin’s body covers us. Wait a second, we’re still looking for the evidence. This one doesn’t suit me (first angle), this one doesn’t suit me either (second angle), this one doesn’t suit me either (third angle), go on… this one doesn’t suit me either (fourth angle), this one doesn’t suit me either ( fifth angle) ), neither does this one (sixth angle).
Soto Grado responds: “We are in no hurry, it is a very important decision. We are in no hurry, from any angle.”
The referee is then informed from the VAR room: “We confirm that there are no more cameras”. He addresses the players again: “We are in no hurry, the best thing is to wait. We have to wait.
After that, another VAR official can be heard telling Soto Grado: “Cesar, Cesar, we are going to restart with a corner. We have no proof that the ball went in, so corner. We have no proof that the ball went in, so corner.
(Marc Graupera Aloma / AFP7 via Getty Images)