After defeating their bitter rivals Real Madrid in a seven-goal thriller that ended 4-3 in favor of Hansi Flick’s team, Barcelona is now within striking distance of winning their 28th La Liga championship. However, a VAR controversy arose after Fermin Lopez appeared to have added a misery compiler in the final moments of El Clasico.
Despite Kylian Mbappe scoring a hat-trick, the Catalan giants defeated Carlo Ancelotti’s all-star team once more, increasing their advantage at the top of Spain’s first division to seven points. To win La Liga gold, they only need two points, regardless of other outcomes.
Within 14 minutes, Los Blancos had taken a 2-0 lead, but by the time the halftime siren blew, Flick’s team had somehow jumped out to a 4-2 lead. With 20 minutes of regulation time remaining, Mbappe scored his third goal of the afternoon, but it was insufficient.
Controversy Looms as VAR Audio Emerges
Hansi Flick’s men should ‘demand explanation’ says journalist
However, Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez, who is considered to be among the top international Under-21 players, nearly made it five in the 95th minute, worsening the scoreline. The teenage player ducked inside the Madrid box and smashed his shot past a helpless Thibaut Courtois, defeating Federico Valverde.
When the goal first counted, Lopez, Gavi, and Alejandro Balde wheeled away in pure joy. That is, until VAR stepped in and chalked the goal off. However, the referee’s conversation with VAR chief Martínez Munuera has raised questions about a potentially malign decision.
Alejandro Jose Hernandez, the referee Hernandez was told that the event needed to be reviewed from the pitchside. Whether on purpose or not, Lopez’s handling of the ball during the build-up to his goal was disallowed after the man in black double-checked it.
The VAR can be heard exclaiming “thank goodness” during the video review after determining that Lopez made ball-to-hand contact. Spanish journalist Toni Juanmarti has pleaded with Barcelona, who were just eliminated from the Champions League by Inter Milan, to provide an explanation.
On X (previously Twitter), the journalist tweeted, “The VAR team says ‘thank goodness’ when they realize there was a handball by a Barca player while reviewing Fermin’s goal.”
It is clearly audible in the audio recordings that have been made public. Barca ought to insist on an explanation.
This was not the only controversial occasion; Ferran Torres had been furious seconds earlier when Aurelien Tchouameni had left the box after a clear handball. After the game, Torres, who recorded three assists, shared the encounter on Instagram.
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