FC Barcelona suffered a painful 2-1 defeat against Girona at Montilivi, leaving them frustrated not only by the three points lost but also by a controversial refereeing decision that has sparked outrage within the Blaugrana locker room.
After a closely contested match in which both sides created chances, Girona’s decisive goal came in the 86th minute and left Barcelona questioning the consistency of officiating in La Liga.
The goal followed a contentious moment involving Jules Koundé and Girona’s Claudio Echeverri. As Koundé reached a contested ball outside the box, Echeverri’s studs struck the French defender’s ankle, causing visible pain.
The referee, César Soto Grado, allowed play to continue, and neither he nor the VAR, led by David Gálvez, called for a review. The ball fell to Fran Beltrán, who calmly finished to give Girona the lead. Barça players and staff immediately protested, but the goal stood.
The frustration stems not only from the incident itself but also from a striking precedent from last season. In Matchday 3 in Vallecas, a very similar action saw a goal by Lewandowski disallowed after Koundé recovered the ball following a minor stamp.
That night, Soto Grado was also in charge but the VAR intervened and the referee reviewed the incident before overturning the goal. Audio released by the RFEF confirmed that the contact on the foot was enough to justify the disallowing.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barça now sees a glaring inconsistency. In Vallecas, a minor stamp was deemed punishable after review, while at Montilivi, a more forceful stamp went unnoticed and unpunished.
This has compounded frustration following the recent VAR controversy in the Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona Copa del Rey semi-final first leg.
Arbitration analysts such as César Barrenechea Montero from Mundo Deportivo were clear in their assessment of the replay, stating that it was a clear stamp and that the goal should not have counted.
Despite this, Soto Grado and the VAR did not share that interpretation, leaving Barcelona and their fans bewildered. The debate over refereeing criteria and fairness in La Liga shows no signs of quieting as the Blaugranes continue to chase crucial points in the title race.