According to reports, Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 4-3 in a thrilling El Clásico, virtually securing the La Liga title. With only three weeks left in the season, the Blaugrana now lead Carlo Ancelotti’s team by seven points at the top of the table.

Under the guidance of Hansi Flick, Barcelona managed to recover from two early goals by Kylian Mbappé, securing a crucial victory in their title pursuit. However, as always in such matches, refereeing controversies were present.

One of the most debated moments was a handball by Aurelien Tchouameni inside the penalty area following a shot by Ferran Torres. Referee Alejandro Hernández Hernández reviewed the incident on the VAR monitor but decided not to award a penalty.

Hours after the match, the audio of the refereeing team and VAR discussing the incident was released. In the audio, VAR referee Martínez Munuera advises Hernández Hernández to review the scene due to a “possible handball.”

Munuera says: “You have the images here, a shot towards the goal. You don’t have many angles.”

Hernández Hernández reviews the scene from different angles and announces his final decision: “Courtois is behind him, the contact was with the arm in a natural position. For me, it’s not a penalty.”

In the final minutes, Fermin Lopez scored what would have been Barcelona’s fifth goal, but it was disallowed due to a handball that occurred seconds before Fermin’s shot.

Hernández says during the review of Fermin Lopez’s goal: “Okay, great, continue. The ball touched the hand, yes. The ball was going out, and now give me a clear image to see how the whole scene ended. Okay, great. The hand is clearly raised. I disallow this goal.”

These decisions sparked widespread debate among fans and media, especially given their potential impact on the final league standings. However, Barcelona secured the three points and will now celebrate the La Liga title if they earn three more points.