Barcelona manager Xavi has hit out at La Liga’s “embarrassing” lack of goal-line technology following their controversial El Clasico defeat.
After Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior had canceled out Andreas Christensen’s sixth-minute opener in Sunday’s clash, Barca thought they’d regained the lead on the half-hour mark when Lamine Yamal flicked Raphinha’s low in-swinging corner towards goal. Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin scrambled behind his line to palm the ball away. Immediately, Barcelona appealed for a goal as the Bernabeu sat on tenterhooks.
Attention turned towards referee Cesar Soto. But unlike in the Premier League, there was no signal coming from his watch. That’s because goal-line technology was deemed too expensive to implement in the Spanish top flight.
There wasn’t even a hawk-eye camera angle to determine if the ball had indeed crossed the line. As a result, the on-field officials and VAR were unable to come to a conclusive decision after three minutes of reviewing.
Play resumed with Barca still incensed and after falling to a 3-2 loss thanks to Jude Bellingham’s 91st-minute winner, which all but ended their hopes of retaining the La Liga title, Xavi vented their frustration.
Ter Stegen’s manager – who’s never one to shy away from his opinions on referees – was on the same page. “I completely agree with him,” Xavi fumed after Barca’s third defeat to Real this season and his final Clasico before leaving the club this summer.
“It’s embarrassing that there is no goal-line technology. If we want to say this is the best league in the world, we need it. Everyone has seen it. What can I say? [The league] can sanction me. The images are there.”
The Barcelona boss also criticized ref Soro’s decision to award a penalty for Madrid’s first equalizer. Lucas Vazquez beat Joao Cancelo going into the box and went tumbling over the outstretched leg of Pau Cubarsi, although there was debate as to whether Vazquez moved his leg towards the 17-year-old defender and took the contact.
“The feeling today is of complete injustice,” Xavi added.
“I said before the match that I hoped the referee would go unnoticed and get the decisions right. In the end, neither of the two have happened.”
Only eight days ago, La Liga president Javier Tebas responded to criticism regarding the division’s lack of goal-line technology by posting various news stories of when it’d gone wrong in other leagues on X/Twitter. There’s been a series of attempts by multiple outlets and broadcasters to clear up the Clasico confusion, although none are official.
Barca did eventually take a 2-1 lead midway through the second half when substitute Fermin Lopez capitalised on Lunin spilling Yamal’s shot and slotted home. Real responded quickly, though, as right-back Vazquez snuck in behind Cancelo to convert Vinicius Jr’s cross.
Then came the moment for Bellingham to effectively win the title for Los Blancos, as his back-post strike sent Carlo Ancelotti’s side 11 points clear of second-place Barcelona. With six games left of the La Liga season, Real can now shift their focus to the Champions League semi-finals, where they’ll face Bayern Munich.