VAR audio taken from the aftermath of Lamine Yamal’s controversial phantom goal in Barcelona’s El Clasico defeat by Real Madrid has been released by the RFEF.
Described as a ‘transparency exercise’, the body responsible for officiating in Spain has lifted the lid on the discussion between referee Soto Grado and the VAR officials.
Xavi’s side suffered a dramatic 3-2 defeat against their fierce rivals at the weekend after Jude Bellingham crashed into the net deep inside 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 leveller and set up a grandstand finish that saw Bellingham smash home on the cusp of 90 minutes.
The visitors were infuriated by a goal they felt should have been awarded, however, after Yamal’s strike from close range looked to have crossed over the line.
Goalkeeper Andriy Lunin bundled the ball away at the near post but subsequent replays showed that Yamal’s clever flick from a corner could have been legal.
Less than 24 hours later, the RFEF posted the full conversation, which lasted a little over six minutes, between the match officials on their official X page.
After Yamal’s effort, an assistant referee could be heard saying ‘bloody hell’ twice before suggesting that a corner kick be given 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 urged for the goal to be given, though the referee told Ilkay Gundogan that no goal-line technology was in place.
One of the VAR officials said: ‘Stop at the point of contact when it hits Lunin’s gloves and turn it back.’ Another then added that they would perform a ‘360’ check to look for concrete evidence that the whole of the ball had indeed crossed over the line.
However, a new angle of the incident emerged where Yamal’s (bottom left) effort looked to have been legal, with goalkeeper Andriy Lunin shoveling the ball away from behind the line
The referee explained to Barcelona’s incensed 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,’ one official said. ‘Wait a second, we are still looking for the evidence. This one doesn’t work for me (first angle), neither does this one (second angle), neither does this one (third angle), keep going…
‘Neither does this one (fourth angle), neither does this one (fifth angle), neither does this one (sixth angle).’
Grado told the VAR room to carefully check each angle and avoid rushing a decision. He was then informed that VAR had scrutinised every possible angle.
‘Cesar, Cesar, we are going to restart with a corner kick,’ a VAR official eventually confirmed. ‘We don’t have any evidence that the ball has gone in, so corner kick. We have no evidence that the ball has gone in, therefore corner kick.’
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has revealed that the club could push for the showdown to be replayed while boss Xavi said the decision was a ‘disgrace’.
