- Lamine Yamal seemed to have crossed the line, but the goal was not given
- Barcelona president Joan Laporta has refused to rule out a request for a repeat
- VAR got Coventry’s winner right – those who wanted technology got what they wanted! Listen to the It all starts podcast
VAR audio from the aftermath of Lamine Yamal’s controversial phantom goal in Barcelona’s El Clasico defeat to Real Madrid has been released by the RFEF.
Described as a ‘transparency exercise’, the body responsible for the action in Spain has lifted the dispute between referee Soto Grado and the VAR officials.
Xavi’s side suffered a dramatic 3-2 defeat to their fierce rivals this weekend after Jude Bellingham crashed into the net deep into stoppage time, leaving Los Blancos 11 points clear at the top of LaLiga and on course to win the title.
Andreas Christensen and Fermin Lopez struck either side of Vinicius Junior’s penalty as Barcelona twice took the lead, only for Lucas Vasquez to score the equalizer and set up a grandstand finish that saw Bellingham hammer home after 90 minutes.
However, the visitors were left furious at a goal they felt should have been awarded after Yamal’s strike from close range appeared to have gone over the line.
Lamine Yamal saw a controversial ghost goal disallowed in Barcelona’s El Clasico defeat
Yamal’s tap appeared to have gone over the line, but the goal was not awarded after a VAR check
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Goalkeeper Andriy Lunin bundled the ball away at the near post, but later replays showed Yamal’s clever flick from a corner could have been legal.
Less than 24 hours later, the RFEF posted the full conversation, which lasted just over six minutes, between the match officials on their official X page.
After Yamal’s effort, an assistant referee could be heard saying ‘damn’ twice before suggesting a corner would be awarded despite the confusion. The referee was then informed by his VAR official that the check would take place.
Barcelona’s players gathered around Grado and insisted that the goal be given, although the referee told Ilkay Gundogan that there was no goal-line technology in place.
One of the VAR officials said: ‘Stop on the contact point when it touches Lunin’s gloves and turn it back.’ Another added that they would do a ‘360’ check to look for concrete evidence that the ball had indeed crossed the line.
However, a new angle to the incident emerged with Yamal’s attempt (below left) appearing to be legal, with goalkeeper Andriy Lunin clearing the ball from behind the line.
The referee explained to the incensed Barcelona players that there was no goal-line technology
Jude Bellingham crashed into the roof of the net in stoppage time to seal a dramatic victory
“Lunin’s body is covering us,” an official said. “Wait a minute, we’re still looking for the evidence. This one doesn’t work for me (first corner), neither does this one (second corner), and neither does this one (third corner), keep going…
‘Not this (fourth corner), neither this (fifth corner), nor this (sixth corner).’
Grado told the VAR room to check every angle carefully and not make a hasty decision.
He was then told that VAR had investigated all possible angles.
“Cesar, Cesar, we’re going to restart with a corner,” a VAR official finally confirmed. ‘We don’t have any evidence that the ball went in, so it was a corner kick. We have no evidence that the ball went in, therefore a corner.’
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has revealed the club could push for a repeat of the clash, with boss Xavi saying the decision was a ‘disgrace’.