Barcelona President sparks controversy, demands replay of Real Madrid clash
In the aftermath of Barcelona’s 3-2 defeat to arch-rivals Real Madrid, club president Joan Laporta has ignited a fierce debate by calling for a rematch of the contentious encounter.
Laporta’s plea for a replay stems from a hotly disputed goal-line incident that marred Barcelona’s loss. He swiftly took action by formally requesting access to the referee’s report and all audio-visual recordings from the VAR room, adamant that there was a glaring error in judgment concerning Lamine Yamal’s disallowed goal.
“We will immediately request the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) and the RFEF to provide us with all the images and audio generated by the play. If there was an error in the assessment of the play, which is what we think, we will implement the appropriate measures necessary to reverse the situation,” Laporta declared.
Furthermore, Laporta did not shy away from the possibility of legal recourse, vowing to explore legal avenues if evidence of a refereeing mistake surfaces.
“If it is confirmed that it was a legal goal as we think, we will go further and ask for a replay of the match just as happened in another European match due to a VAR error,” Laporta asserted.
In his critique of the use of VAR, Laporta lamented that instead of ensuring fair competition, it has led to more confusion and inconsistent decisions.
“There are tools like VAR that should help to have a fairer competition and not the other way around! I have never been one of the great defenders of VAR because it takes away spontaneity from the game,” Laporta remarked.
Drawing attention to a recent European match between Genk and Anderlecht, which is set for a replay due to a VAR error, Laporta emphasised that such errors have widened the gap between Barcelona and Real Madrid in the league standings.
“As president of Barca, I want to convey the dissatisfaction caused by the fact that…a tool such as VAR is setting our agenda,” Laporta expressed.
Despite acknowledging the challenges referees face, Laporta stressed the importance of transparency and fairness in officiating, calling for a thorough review of the disputed incident to uphold the integrity of the competition.
“The club’s position is not gratuitous or advantageous but rather an action that is forced upon us by the indefensible situation we are experiencing,” Laporta stated.
