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Spanish Refereeing Bodies Admit VAR Error on Girona’s Late Winner vs Barcelona

The rare acknowledgement underscores a VAR protocol failure that leaves the match result intact.

Overview

  • The CTA and RFEF said Claudio Echeverri stamped on Jules Koundé in the buildup, a reckless foul that should have brought a yellow card and annulled the goal.
  • Officials stated VAR should have advised a pitchside review for a clear and obvious error after initially treating the incident as interpretive and letting the on-field call stand.
  • Barcelona posted stills of the challenge with the message, “Owning a mistake is a big step. Avoiding it is the next,” pressing for stronger officiating standards.
  • Joan Laporta welcomed the admission yet lamented the competitive cost, saying recognition “won't give us back that point.”
  • Reports named referee Soto Grado and VAR lead Gálvez Rascón on the match, as scrutiny of procedures intensifies during a tight LaLiga title race that remains unaffected by the ruling.