Barcelona players were left stunned when a goal was ruled out during their 4-1 La Liga win over Espanyol in Round 31.
Ferran Torres had already netted a brace and was poised for a hat-trick, only for the third strike to be ruled out for offside.
The 55th-minute effort had seemed legitimate: Lamine Yamal delivered a cross into the box, Eric García nodded it down, and Torres slotted the ball into the net.
The assistant referee immediately raised his flag for offside, and after a VAR review, the decision stood: García was indeed beyond the last defender. Yet the available footage failed to offer a definitive angle.
Mundo Deportivo noted that, after watching the replay, coach Hansi Flick’s reaction on the bench said it all.
According to the publication, Flick’s body language—fingers pressed together as if to suggest the infringement was barely perceptible—spoke volumes.
The semi-automated offside graphics shown on television only deepened the uncertainty, offering little clarity.
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