FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta and manager Xavi Hernandez are both spending a lot of time this week criticising La Liga referees for the way the officiating has been done so far this season. However, they have also been skirting the issue of the Negreira case, wherein Barcelona has been accused of bribing match officials.
Things have become more heated since Real Madrid's 3-2 victory over minnows Almeria on Sunday night at the Santiago Bernabeu. The hosts found themselves stunned and a goal down within the opening 40 seconds thanks to a sleeping defence and a torpedo goal from Almeria's Largie Ramazani.
Then, things looked even worse for Los Blancos as they fell 0-2 down before the end of the first half. However, the tides turned in the second half, and the VAR was involved in at least three crucial moments.
Referee Francisco Hernández Maeso awarded Real Madrid a penalty for a handball offence by Almería defender Kaiky Fernandes Melo after a VAR review. Jude Bellingham took the shot and finally got the hosts on the score board.
The Englishman was involved again in the second VAR decision after he was fouled in the lead-up to an Almeria goal, which was later disallowed. Bellingham went down clutching his face in agony after midfielder Dion Lopy raised his hand to hold him off, resulting in a yellow card.
'61 VAR goal disallowed for Almeria, foul by Dion Lopy on Bellingham
— Dale Johnson (@DaleJohnsonESPN) January 23, 2024
Lopy held off Bellingham in the Almeria half, before the away team broke and scored through Sergio Arribas.
Goal disallowed for a foul in the buildup.https://t.co/kDBF56HF3f
Then, Vinicius Junior scored a controversial goal off his shoulder, which was reviewed by VAR for the possibility of being a handball. However, after the review, the goal was given when the referee decided that it had come off the Brazilian's shoulder.
There were eleven minutes of added time, and true to their reputation of being comeback kings, Real Madrid sealed the victory with a Dani Carvajal goal in nine minutes after regulation time.
Laporta was totally livid and said in quotes carried by Diario AS: "What happened (in Madrid) was a disgrace. The refereeing collective has to respond to the pressures that are occurring this season. If they don't do it, it will leave us very uneasy because it is a neglection of duties."
The club president also hinted that the reason why Barcelona are down in third place in La Liga is due to some questionable officiating. Ironically, it is the Blaugrana that is facing charges of bribery and corruption, with Laporta himself also indicted on charges of "bribery, sports corruption, unfair administration, and forgery".
🚨 Joan Laporta, en la #GalaMD de Mundo Deportivo: "Lo del Bernabéu fue una vergüenza"
— Mundo Deportivo (@mundodeportivo) January 22, 2024
💬 "El colectivo arbitral debe dar una respuesta a una serie de presiones que se están produciendo en esta temporada en los árbitros"
💬 "Si no hay respuesta, nos deja inquietos porque... pic.twitter.com/4tjeV4hSKk
Manager Xavi Hernandez, meanwhile, is singing the same tune as Laporta. He has been very vocal about criticising referees throughout this season, and the Real Madrid vs. Almeria match was no exception. He also dug up incidents in previous Barcelona matches where he feels decisions were unfairly made against his squad.
Mundo Deportivo quoted him as saying: "I'm left with the reflections of Garitano (the Almería coach) and Alfredo Relaño, a very good journalist. It's going to be very difficult to win this league. I already said that in Getafe. I saw things that did not fit right for me.
"There have been many incidents. I remember the Getafe penalty, the incident with Raphinha in Vallecas and the goal in Granada by Joao Felix. We could have six more points.
"These are not excuses, they are realities."
In response to Xavi's criticism, former La Liga referee Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez, told Diario AS: "Personally, I would ask Xavi these questions: 'Are these the same referees as last year?' Yes. 'Is it the same Referees Committee (CTA) as last year?' Yes. 'Is it the same Real Madrid as last year?' Yes. 'Is it the same Barcelona as last year?' Yes. Well then how did you win La Liga last year?"
He added: "Is it that the referees let you win last year, and this year no? Come on, I don't see any conspiracies here, nor anything of the sort. Very unfortunate words."
Iturralde on Xavi's comments:
— Football España (@footballespana_) January 23, 2024
"Personally, I would ask Xavi this. Are these the same referees as last year? Yes. Is it the same CTA as last year? Yes. Is it the same Real Madrid? Yes. Is it the same Barcelona? Yes. Well then how did you win La Liga?"pic.twitter.com/fx6elUuv7p
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has mostly remained mum on the issue, but fans from both sides are up in arms claiming to be the victim. Likewise, other clubs have made the same complaints, hinting that decisions are made to favour the bigger clubs. This was the case in the recently concluded Spanish Super Cup, when Osasuna players felt that Barcelona received favours from the officials.
