FC Barcelona’s dramatic 2-1 defeat to Girona in the heated Catalan derby continues to dominate headlines — and now, the controversy has taken a new twist.
Days after the painful loss at the Estadi Montilivi, Spain’s Referees’ Technical Committee (CTA) has officially acknowledged that a serious error occurred during the buildup to Girona’s decisive goal — an error that may have cost Barcelona a crucial point in the La Liga title race.
A Derby That Turned Sour for Barça
Barcelona entered the clash against local rivals Girona full of confidence, determined to maintain their momentum at the top of the table. The Blaugrana appeared to be in control when young defender Pau Cubarsí found the breakthrough in the second half, giving the visitors a deserved lead.
However, the advantage was short-lived.
Girona responded almost immediately, with Thomas Lemar drawing the hosts level. The equaliser shifted the energy inside Montilivi, turning the match into a tense, end-to-end battle.
Just when the encounter seemed destined to end in a hard-fought draw, Girona delivered the decisive blow. Fran Beltrán stepped up to fire home what proved to be the winning goal, sending the home crowd into wild celebrations.
But the celebrations came with a cloud of controversy.
The Moment That Sparked Outrage
Replays quickly revealed that in the buildup to Beltrán’s goal, Girona attacker Claudio Echeverri appeared to stamp on Barcelona defender Jules Koundé.
The incident was not sanctioned by referee César Soto Grado, and VAR official David Gálvez Rascón also chose not to intervene.
Barcelona players protested, but the goal stood.
The decision immediately ignited debate across Spanish media and social platforms, with fans and analysts questioning why VAR — designed to eliminate clear and obvious mistakes — remained silent.
CTA Breaks Silence
The controversy escalated further when the Referees’ Technical Committee addressed the incident on the television programme Tiempo de Revisión.
The CTA made it clear: a mistake had been made.
According to their analysis, the stamp on Koundé was reckless and occurred within the same attacking sequence that resulted in Girona’s winning goal. Because the foul directly influenced the defensive phase leading up to the goal, VAR should have reviewed and recommended overturning the decision.
The committee emphasized that stepping on an opponent with unnecessary force must be penalized. In their view, the action warranted a foul and a yellow card.
Most significantly, they stated that VAR should have intervened because the oversight constituted an “obvious, clear, and manifest error.”
That admission has intensified frustration among Barcelona supporters, who feel their team was denied justice in a pivotal moment of the season.
Title Race Implications
The defeat temporarily knocked Barcelona off the top of the La Liga standings. In a season where margins are razor-thin, every point carries enormous weight.
Yet football rarely follows a predictable script.
Fortunes shifted once again after Real Madrid suffered an unexpected defeat to CA Osasuna, while Barcelona bounced back strongly with a victory over Levante UD.
The turnaround allowed manager Hansi Flick and his squad to reclaim top spot, easing some of the immediate damage caused by the derby setback.
Still, the officiating controversy lingers.
Bigger Questions About VAR
This episode once again raises broader questions about the consistency and application of VAR in Spanish football. If such a clear infringement was overlooked despite video technology, critics argue, what is the true threshold for intervention?
Barcelona’s players and coaching staff have refrained from launching an official complaint, but internally, frustration is understood to be significant. In a title race that could go down to the wire, incidents like this may ultimately define the season.
For Girona, the victory remains historic and emotionally charged — a derby triumph against their illustrious neighbors. But for Barcelona, the match will be remembered as much for officiating controversy as for footballing action.
As La Liga enters its decisive stretch, one thing is certain: the debate over VAR is far from over.