Barcelona’s dramatic victory over Celta Vigo, secured by Raphinha’s 90+8th-minute penalty, included several controversial refereeing decisions, particularly the last-minute penalty awarded for a foul on Dani Olmo.

Perez Burrul, a referee analyst for Marca, and Iturralde Gonzalez, an analyst for AS, both agreed that the referee’s decision to award the penalty was correct. Regarding other controversial calls in the match, the experts also believed the referee’s decisions were accurate, confirming Barcelona’s victory was fair.

As the match extended into the 97th minute, Melero Lopez pointed to the penalty spot, ruling that Barcelona should take a penalty. Celta Vigo was furious with the decision, but the referee maintained that Dani Olmo had been fouled. Perez Burrul stated: “In slow motion, it appears Joel Lago pushed Olmo without excessive force. However, VAR confirmed he made contact with the Barcelona player’s leg, preventing Olmo from playing the ball. Thus, the referee’s decision to award the penalty was correct.”

Iturralde Gonzalez shared a similar view, supporting Melero Lopez’s decision: “It is clear that the Celta player struck Olmo’s right foot as he was about to reach the ball. He hit the Barcelona player from behind, which is undoubtedly a penalty.”

Another contentious moment occurred when Inigo Martinez allegedly pulled down a Celta Vigo player, leading to protests. The AS referee analyst said: “The key here is the intensity of the Barcelona player’s action. In my opinion, the force applied was not excessive, and the Celta Vigo player exaggerated. The referee’s decision was correct.”

Another disputed incident involved a challenge by Sergi Roberto on Mingueza in the penalty area, with Celta Vigo demanding a penalty. Iturralde Gonzalez defended the referee’s decision not to award a penalty, stating: “No significant contact occurred, and this was a normal footballing challenge. The referee made the correct call.”