Referees Committee admits Barcelona defender should have been sent off vs Atletico | OneFootball

FC Barcelona prevailed in a hard-fought encounter against Atletico Madrid this past Saturday in La Liga, securing a 2-1 victory.

The game, though, had its fair share of controversial moments, with tensions flaring up on the field on more than one occasion.

One of the most debated incidents during the match came in the second half when Barcelona defender Gerard Martin was shown a red card by referee Busquets Ferrer for a foul on Thiago Almada.

The Barcelona player made contact with the ball first, but then stepped on his opponent’s ankle, drawing the red card from the on-field official.

But the decision was overturned after intervention from VAR, and the red card was changed to a yellow.

It was a pivotal moment as Martin’s sending-off would have meant that both teams would be with ten players on the field, with Atletico Madrid having already lost Nicolas Gonzalez to a red card in the first half.

CTA admit referee error

Now, though, the Referees’ Technical Committee (CTA) has admitted that Martin should have been sent off during the match between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona.

Gerard Martin’s red card was changed to a yellow card vs Atletico Madrid. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Indeed, on the programme Tiempo de Revisión, the CTA stated that the VAR should not have intervened to downgrade the punishment from a red card to a yellow.

They also stressed that referee Busquets Ferrer should have maintained his original decision to dismiss the Barcelona defender.

The CTA reviewed the incident and acknowledged that the red card should have stood: “It is a case of serious foul play without it being relevant who touches the ball first. The correct disciplinary sanction must be red.”

They also compared the incident to a similar one in the match between Real Betis and Rayo Vallecano, where they had likewise confirmed a red card.

The committee added: “The CTA considers that the VAR should not have intervened as it was a correct decision taken by the referee on the field.

“The recommendation for review by the VAR led to an incorrect modification of an action that had been well assessed in real time. The referee should have remained with his initial decision.”

Source: AS