According to “Varzesh3,” the most serious refereeing controversy in today’s El Clásico revolves around an incident late in the match. A powerful shot from Ferran Torres hit Shomane’s hand, but referee Hernández Hernández, despite being close to the scene, did not blow his whistle. Even when VAR official Martínez Munuera urged him to review the incident on the sideline monitor, he refused to change his decision. This angered Barcelona players.

In the 79th minute of El Clásico, with Barcelona leading 4-3, Lamine Yamal’s shot was saved by Courtois, and Ferran Torres fired the rebound toward the goal. The ball struck Shomane’s hand, prompting furious protests from Barcelona players.

Hernández Hernández, who had a clear view of the incident, did not award a penalty. He explained that Shomane’s hand was close to his body, so no penalty was necessary.

However, Munuera, the VAR referee, called Hernández to review the incident on the monitor. Barcelona players expected a penalty after the review, but the referee upheld his decision, and play continued.

The controversy escalated when, in stoppage time, Fermín López scored what would have been Barcelona’s fifth goal, but the referee disallowed it, ruling that López had handled the ball while dispossessing a Real Madrid player.

Protests over these two incidents even reached Spanish politicians. Gabriel Rufián, a Catalan representative in the Spanish Parliament, posted on X: “Two similar incidents, two different decisions. This incident isn’t called a handball because apparently, Shomane is a goalkeeper.”