Barcelona President Joan Laporta has expressed concerns over a potential error by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system in his team’s 3-2 loss to Real Madrid in the Clásico on Sunday.
During the game, Lamine Yamal’s shot was cleared by Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, with VAR subsequently ruling it did not cross the goal line. However, Laporta believes that if evidence substantiates a misjudgment, the match should be subject to a replay.
“There were several debatable incidents in the match, but amongst all of them there is one that is crucial and can change the result of the game,” Laporta said.
“I am referring to the ‘phantom goal’ by Lamine Yamal. As a club, we want to be sure about what happened. It is for that reason we will make an immediate request for a comprehensive collection of footage and audio from the incident.”
“If it is confirmed that it was a legal goal, we will move ahead and request that the game be replayed, just as has happened in another game in Europe due to a VAR error.”
Real Madrid’s victory widened the gap between the two teams to 11 points atop the table, with only six games remaining. Laporta emphasized the significance of the incident, stating, “We cannot allow for matches to be decided by errors, especially in a match of this magnitude.”
