Referee of Real Sociedad vs Barcelona punished after controversial decisions | OneFootball

The match between Real Sociedad and Barcelona last month was one of the most talked-about fixtures of the season, and not only because of the result. 

Barcelona’s 1-2 defeat had a lot to do with the performance, but it was also overshadowed by a series of refereeing decisions that sparked widespread debate.

At the centre of the storm was referee Jesus Gil Manzano, whose handling of the match visibly frustrated the Barcelona players. 

Throughout the contest, the referee’s decisions appeared to go against Flick’s side at key moments, gradually increasing tension on the pitch. 

A lot of talking points

Marginal offside calls, several fouls that went unpunished, and a heavy challenge by Carlos Soler on Pedri all contributed to a sense of injustice from the visiting side.

That particular tackle became one of the most controversial moments of the match. Initially ignored on the field, the incident was later reviewed on the VAR monitor and resulted in a red card. 

While the decision itself followed protocol, the delay and lack of consistency only added fuel to an already heated encounter.

Gil Manzano did not officiate any match last weekend. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Following the final whistle, frustration spilled over as Frenkie de Jong openly expressed his dissatisfaction, pointing not just to the decisions but to the referee’s attitude during the match. 

Two key incidents later came under scrutiny. The red card shown to Soler player after VAR intervention, and the foul by Dani Olmo on Takefusa Kubo in the build-up to Fermín Lopez’s goal, were both corrected by Gil Manzano after video review. 

However, these decisions did not sit well with the Technical Committee of Referees, which later concluded that the referee had made the wrong calls in real time.

As a result of these developments, as reported by SPORT, Gil Manzano was not assigned to referee any matches last weekend. 

The move aligns with the new direction set by the Spanish refereeing authorities. 

As such, the referees who fail to meet the required standard are excluded from appointments, regardless of reputation, experience, or international status.