Kounde and Vinicius incidents spark consequences as CTA punishes VAR referees | OneFootball

The La Liga matchday 24, which saw FC Barcelona lose their leadership of the table to Real Madrid, was marred by refereeing controversies, with the two main rivals for the league title experiencing different fortunes.

The first flashpoint came in Real Madrid’s home game against Real Sociedad. The spotlight fell on the second penalty awarded to Vinícius Júnior, where the Brazilian appeared to begin his fall before clear contact from Aramburu. Despite the doubts surrounding the action, the VAR chose not to intervene, and the on-field decision stood, allowing Madrid to extend their winning run.

Two days later, controversy erupted at Montilivi during Barcelona’s defeat to Girona. In the buildup to the hosts’ second goal, a clear foul by Claudio Echeverri on Jules Koundé was overlooked by both the referee and the VAR. The goal was allowed to stand and proved decisive. Echeverri later admitted that he would have understood had the referee whistled for a foul, further fueling Barcelona’s anger.

Now, according to El Chiringuito (h/t SPORT), there have been swift consequences. The CTA has decided to remove the two VAR officials involved from this weekend’s assignments. Gálvez Rascón, who failed to intervene in the Echeverri Koundé incident, and Trujillo Suárez, the VAR official who did not recommend a review of Vinícius’ penalty, have both been placed in the freezer, a disciplinary measure that directly signals responsibility for the controversies.

This decision is seen within Barcelona as a partial vindication, especially because the error at Montilivi directly affected the result and the league standings. Frustration at the club is widespread, from head coach Hansi Flick to former president Joan Laporta, who publicly warned that there are forces both on and off the pitch trying to prevent Barça from winning the title.

Laporta insisted that the team will fight on regardless, stressing his confidence in the squad built by Deco and led by Flick, and framing the title race as a battle against everything and everyone.

After matchday 24, Real Madrid moved two points clear at the top of La Liga, capitalising on a run of eight consecutive victories to reclaim first place. Barcelona now trail their rivals but believe that greater refereeing accountability could be crucial as the season enters its decisive stretch.