According to “Varzesh3,” the El Clásico match between Barcelona and Real Madrid was full of excitement, goals, and, as usual, a series of controversial moments. The match, like many involving Barcelona, saw a disallowed goal due to offside, a penalty revoked for Real Madrid, and a highly contentious penalty not awarded to Barcelona. The latter has sparked intense anger from Barcelona, who believe referee Hernández Hernández nearly robbed them of victory.

Key Refereeing Incidents in El Clásico:

Penalty on Kylian Mbappé and VAR Review Decision

The first tense moment occurred in the 2nd minute. Barcelona’s goalkeeper, Marc-André ter Stegen, brought down Kylian Mbappé in the penalty area, prompting strong protests from Barcelona’s bench. After several minutes of VAR review for a potential offside, Hernández awarded the penalty. Pérez Burrull of Marca firmly stated: “It’s a clear penalty. Barcelona’s goalkeeper took down Real’s attacker. There was no offside.”

Iturralde of AS shared a similar view, also firmly supporting the referee’s decision. Mbappé converted the penalty, scoring his 25th La Liga goal of the season.

Equalizing Goal and Potential Handball by Frenkie de Jong

In the 32nd minute, Barcelona equalized through a move initiated by Frenkie de Jong. Replays suggested a potential handball by the Dutch midfielder, sparking controversy. Burrull argued there was no reason to disallow the goal: “The scene is slightly suspicious, but it’s not reviewable. There’s no clear and obvious foul. It’s more chest than hand.” VAR did not intervene, and the goal stood.

Iturralde added: “It’s hard to say whether the ball hit De Jong’s hand or chest. The image isn’t clear enough, and there was no reason for VAR to intervene.”

Foul by Aurélien Tchouaméni on Ferran Torres

In the 36th minute, Aurélien Tchouaméni brought down Ferran Torres as the last defender. The Barcelona player demanded a red card, but the referee only showed a yellow. Burrull agreed with the decision: “This foul deserves a yellow. The ball wasn’t under control, and the direction was outward. It’s not a clear goal-scoring opportunity.” VAR upheld the referee’s decision.

Penalty on Mbappé

De Jong fouled Mbappé in the penalty area, but an offside was detected beforehand, and VAR correctly revoked the penalty.

The Most Controversial Moment: Tchouaméni’s Handball in the Box

The most debated incident occurred in the 81st minute. Ferran Torres took a shot from the penalty spot, and the ball hit Tchouaméni’s hand, leading to furious protests from Barcelona. After consulting VAR, the referee did not award a penalty and stuck to his initial decision.

Pérez Burrull supported the decision: “The hand was vertical and close to the shot. There was no intent or unnatural position. It’s not a penalty.”

Iturralde also said: “The referee’s decision was correct. Tchouaméni’s hand wasn’t in an unnatural position, and it couldn’t be a penalty.”

However, Barcelona and some experts disagree, arguing Hernández should have awarded the penalty after review, which might have sealed Barcelona’s fifth goal and the match.

Additionally, in the final minutes, Fermín López scored a fifth goal, but VAR disallowed it due to a handball seconds before the shot.

Controversial VAR Conversation Over Fermín’s Disallowed Goal

In the dying minutes, Fermín López scored Barcelona’s fifth goal, but it was disallowed due to a handball moments before the shot.

Hernández, while reviewing the incident, said: “Okay, great, continue. The ball touched the hand, yes. The ball was going out, and now give me a wide-angle shot to see how the whole scene unfolded. Okay, great. The hand is clearly up. I disallow this goal.”

At this point, one of the VAR officials said, “Well, thank God,” a phrase that has infuriated Barcelona.

Barcelona’s Fury at Hernández Hernández

Barcelona believes the referee in Montjuïc was influenced by pressure. The club’s significant victory in this match overshadowed much of the attention. Celebrations took place in the locker room and VIP stands, and with Hansi Flick granting a day off on Monday, some players extended their night. However, this joy didn’t mask the deep anger toward Hernández Hernández’s refereeing.

At all levels of the club, from senior management to the locker room, there’s a shared feeling: the referee’s performance was unforgivable, even if La Liga is within reach. Barcelona believes this refereeing is the culmination of months of Real Madrid’s efforts to influence officials.

In Barcelona, they still can’t believe what happened. They’ve given up hope on reviewing Mbappé’s potential offside in the 0-1 penalty or the possible foul on Lamine before Mbappé’s 0-2 goal. However, not awarding a penalty for Tchouaméni’s handball after VAR review has left players and officials seething.

Players in the locker room were shocked while reviewing the incidents on their phones. One locker room member said: “We expected this referee selection, but he went beyond expectations.” The coaching staff had also anticipated this and warned players to focus only on controllable factors and avoid anger. Hence, players like Ferran Torres only laughed at the referee’s bizarre decisions, such as Tchouaméni’s handball.

The anger in Barcelona is immense. No formal complaint will be filed, as they don’t want anything to overshadow the victory in the fourth El Clásico of the season and the nearing La Liga title. However, the club believes refereeing has reached an intolerable level and must be addressed next season to compete on equal terms with a Real Madrid that has unprecedentedly pressured officials.

Internally, it’s been decided this situation cannot continue, and they intend to speak with official bodies. Barcelona will win La Liga but still wants to say, “Enough is enough,” demanding a clear explanation.