Barcelona are considering making an official request to replay their recent league fixture against Real Madrid after VAR audio was released suggesting that a “ghost goal” may have been legal.
VAR audio from the incident has now been released to the public after the match officials were unable to determine whether the whole ball had crossed the line. The main reason this has become a huge talking point is that, unlike in other top European leagues, goal-line technology is not in use during matches. There was no way for the referee to know whether the ball was in before goalkeeper Andriy Lunin made the save.
Replays showed it was a very tight call, but the VAR officials stuck with the on-field decision. After Andreas Christensen and Fermin Lopez had put the Catalan side ahead on two occasions, Los Blancos fought back each time through a Vinicius Junior penalty and Lucas Vazquez. Jude Bellingham then fired in a late winning goal for the home side with a fine left-footed effort into the far corner.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has stated that the club will request footage and audio from the incident and may consider requesting a replay if it is confirmed that the goal was legal. “We will make an immediate request to the Technical Refereeing Committee at the Spanish Football Federation for a comprehensive collection of footage and audio from the incident,” Laporta said.
“If it is confirmed that it was a legal goal, we will move ahead, and we do not discount requesting that the game be replayed, just as has happened in another game in Europe due to a VAR error.”
It’s unclear whether a replay would be sanctioned in the event evidence can be found that Fati’s effort had gone in. Barcelona will weigh up their options on how to proceed going forward in the wake of the incident.
