Istvan Kovacs, VAR (foto: Getty Images)
Barcelona were denied a clear penalty against Atletico after a handball by Marc Pubill, sparking outrage and strong criticism from former referee Iturralde Gonzalez.
Barcelona were left furious after a controversial refereeing decision in their clash with Atletico Madrid, as a key moment went unpunished.
The incident quickly escalated into a major talking point, with strong reactions coming from experts and former officials.
Red card for Cubarsi, but no consistency
Pau Cubarsi saw his match end early after bringing down Giuliano Simeone in a situation where the Argentine had a clear path to goal.
The referee reviewed the incident and showed a red card, a decision that was difficult to dispute.
Moments later, Julian Alvarez converted the resulting free kick to give Atletico the lead.
Clear penalty ignored
On the other side, Barcelona demanded a penalty after a controversial situation in the box.
Juan Musso took a goal kick, and Marc Pubill handled the ball, stopping the play illegally.
Despite clear contact with the hand, referee Istvan Kovacs did not react.
The VAR room also remained silent, leaving Barcelona without a decision in their favor.
The players protested, but the game continued.
Experts call it a scandal
Former Spanish referee Iturralde Gonzalez strongly criticized the decision.
"This is a serious technical error by the referees. This is a clear penalty for Barcelona. And then they criticize the Spanish referees. This is a scandal. This is one of the biggest mistakes I have seen in recent times," he said.
The incident has further fueled the debate around refereeing standards and the use of VAR in crucial matches.