Revealed VAR Conversation: Barcelona's Protests Unjustified
The disclosure of the dialogue between the match referee and the VAR team during Barcelona's 2-2 draw with Real Betis confirms unanimous agreement on the penalty decision against Frenkie de Jong, rendering Barcelona's objections baseless.
In the recent La Liga fixture between Barcelona and Real Betis, a contentious penalty was awarded against Barcelona's midfielder Frenkie de Jong, leading to significant protests from the Barcelona camp and the eventual dismissal of head coach Hansi Flick. However, the released communication between the on-field referee and the VAR team indicates a consensus that the foul warranted a penalty.
The VAR official advised the referee: "Alejandro, Alejandro, I recommend you review this incident for a potential penalty in Barcelona's area." The referee responded: "At that moment, I felt the contact was insufficient. That was my assessment." The VAR official clarified: "There was contact with the foot." Upon reviewing the footage, the referee concluded: "The impact on his foot is clear. He also touches the ball, but that occurs later. This is the second action. Okay. His action wasn't intentional, so no severe personal sanction is needed."
This exchange demonstrates that the officials collectively determined the incident merited a penalty, thereby invalidating Barcelona's post-match grievances.