Barcelona president Joan Laporta insists that if it’s confirmed a VAR error deprived them of Lamine Yamal‘s goal during Sunday’s Clásico against Real Madrid, the match should be replayed.
Yamal’s shot, denied by Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, raised controversy as VAR, lacking goal-line technology in LaLiga, deemed it did not cross the line, despite Barcelona’s claims.
The subsequent 3-2 defeat, sealed by Jude Bellingham’s late winner, widened the gap between Madrid and Barcelona to 11 points in the league standings, leaving just six games to play.
Comparisons have been drawn to a Belgian league match between Anderlecht and Genk, which was initially set for a replay due to a VAR error. However, the decision was overturned by the Belgian Court of Arbitration for Sport.
In Spain, a judge previously ruled against VAR in Atlético Madrid’s match against Espanyol, citing inadequate video evidence provided to the referee regarding a contentious goal decision.
Laporta highlighted several contentious incidents during the Clásico, suggesting they warranted VAR intervention, echoing sentiments shared by Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández and goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen regarding Spain’s lack of goal-line technology.
Xavi expressed frustration, suggesting a trend of unfavorable decisions against Barcelona since the season opener, while Laporta lamented various incidents favoring their rivals.
However, Madrid sources dismiss Laporta’s stance, viewing it as a mere attempt to rally Barcelona supporters, with the club’s president under scrutiny for his remarks.
