VAR Blunder Hands Girona Victory Over Barça: Ref Suspended as Title Race Bites Back
Barcelona suffered a controversial 2-1 loss to Girona, with the winning goal later ruled invalid by the CTA, leading to the VAR referee's suspension. Raphinha vented frustration over inconsistent officiating, while Flick focused on his team's poor form and granted players time off. The slip hands Real Madrid a two-point LaLiga lead, with the title race hinging on fine margins.
VAR Blunder Hands Girona Victory Over Barça: Ref Suspended as Title Race Bites Back
Picture this: Barcelona trailing Real Madrid by two points in LaLiga, fresh off a 4-0 hammering by Atlético Madrid, and now they've dropped points to Girona thanks to a dodgy goal that even the refs admit shouldn't have stood. It's the kind of week that'd have you spilling your pint in frustration. But let's unpack the chaos at Montilivi, where a 2-1 defeat has Hansi Flick's side crying foul – literally.
The Goal That Wasn't: Echeverri's Cheeky Step and VAR's Epic Fail
We're in the dying embers, 1-1 on the night, when Claudio Echeverri – Manchester City's loanee making waves – dances through Barcelona's defence. He plants a boot square on Jules Koundé's foot, but play rolls on. Fran Beltrán stays cool and slots home the winner in the 86th minute.
On-field ref César Soto Grado waves it away, and VAR bod David Gálvez Rascón gives it the all-clear. Cue Barça meltdown. Fast-forward, and the Spanish Refereeing Committee (CTA) calls in a 15-ex-ref panel. Unanimous verdict? Foul on Koundé – goal scrubbed from history. Gálvez Rascón? Suspended indefinitely, as AS reports. The guy's a VAR newbie from the second tier; no wonder it went pear-shaped.
This caps a grim run. Days earlier, Pau Cubarsí's strike vs Atlético got VAR'd offside after a seven-minute saga. Sam Marsden at ESPN Spain nailed the mood: Flick admits his lads merited the losses, but the officiating? That's salt in the wound.
Raphinha Fires Shots, Laporta Smells Conspiracy
Raphinha, still fuming, hits Instagram: plenty to fix, but not just us, mate. "Rules change depending on who's got the ball," he vents. "We'll battle everyone if we must." Fair play – the Brazilian winger's got that fire.
Flick plays it cooler, blaming his "jaded" defence for gifting chances galore. No referee rants from the gaffer; he's too busy plotting a reset with two days off before Levante on Sunday. Smart move – his squad looked leggy after back-to-back hidings.
Then Joan Laporta weighs in, turning it presidential. "We'll win LaLiga against all odds," he booms. "Powers-that-be want us off the pitch too." Barcelona's already lodged a five-point gripe with the RFEF and CTA: dodgy handballs, VAR opacity, inconsistent discipline. It's Football Espana via OneFootball highlighting the club's paranoia – or is it pattern?
Title Tightrope: One Point Could Be the Title Clincher
Opta's boffins fancy Barcelona on 87-88 points, Madrid a whisker shy of 89. Last season, Barça pipped them by four; five of the last 12 crowns went to the wire by a single win. Lose this point? February's ghost will haunt the Bernabéu.
Flick's called a pow-wow post-debacles, reportedly laying into the lads at half-time vs Atlético like never before. Girona mirrored that ruthlessness, punishing Barça errors. Now second, can they bounce back? Or is this the stutter that hands Madrid the throne?
It's LaLiga at its bonkers best – thrills, spills, and refs who couldn't VAR a vodka right. Barcelona fans, chin up; the reset's on. But if points get pinched by pixels again, expect the Camp Nou to erupt.