La Liga Matchday 31 served up talking points as Real Madrid were held to a 1–1 draw by Girona, a contest marred by controversial officiating. Meanwhile, Barcelona pounced on the slip-up to move nine points clear at the top, thrashing Espanyol 4-1.
Real Madrid, captained by Álvaro Arbeloa, dominated much of the contest, yet referee Javier Alberola Rojas and VAR official Daniel Jesús Terjeo Suárez, infuriated the Merengues after a clear penalty on Kylian Mbappé was ignored, reigniting the ongoing controversy surrounding Spanish refereeing and the use of VAR in Real Madrid matches.
According to data from Defensa Central, According to Defensa Central, Real Madrid have seen 39 goals ruled out by VAR in La Liga since its introduction—more than any other club. Atlético Madrid have had 21 goals disallowed, while Barcelona, in eighth place on that list, have lost only 16.
The contrast is stark in Europe, where Real Madrid enjoys a +1 refereeing margin in the Champions League.
Observers argue that VAR has failed to deliver its promised fairness in La Liga, instead becoming a decisive factor in the title race—most notably when Vitor Reis’s penalty against Girona was controversially ruled out.
The “Negreira case”
The fallout from the “Negreira case”—in which Barcelona paid €8.4 million to former Referees’ Technical Committee vice-chairman José María Enríquez Negreira between 2001 and 2018—continues to cast doubt on the sport’s integrity.
Barcelona has yet to offer a convincing explanation, fueling widespread doubts about the competition’s integrity.
During those years, Barça won 10 La Liga titles, six Copa del Rey trophies and 10 Super Cups, while Real Madrid claimed eight league crowns, two Copa del Rey wins and eight Super Cups.
Video technology has not altered that balance: Barcelona maintained domestic supremacy after the scandal, adding two more league titles.
In Europe, though, the narrative reverses: Real Madrid has reigned supreme, winning seven Champions League trophies this century, compared with Barcelona’s four, while also ruling other continental competitions and underlining its status as the most successful club on the continent—and, by extension, the world.