Barcelona complained about VAR and got what they wanted

You can understand why Hernández Hernández allowed Lenglet's kick on Varane to go without punishment, something covered extensively by AS after the game. And then there was the shirt grab. They may have been picked up, but he may also have swallowed his whistle. These things happen from time to time over the years, the referees tell you. They may even happen more these days because the referees (and their assistants in charge of offsides) know that they now have a safety net and run away from making the key calls. Those that do not have a pass are those far from the heat of the action, in the tranquility of a small room, and with good resources to aid them. The video assistant referee, De Burgos Bengoetxea, did not say "Look, there was a kick. I would review it." And for these reasons, VAR is losing its credibility.

Referee relations

I don't bring these two incidents up for reasons of Madrid vindication ("clear penalties," said Butragueño), but because it is happening a lot. It happened to Barça four days before, without having to go any further back. Again the question is: what is blocking the video assistant? I suspect it is a misunderstanding between the two involved. Depending on the personality of each of them, it may feel to the VAR that he is not being fair to his colleague who is on the pitch, surrounded by the pressure, if he sends him to the television to decide, with the backdrop of an expectant stadium, on a play that, in these cases, would penalise the home side. The idea of being a snitch is not one desired.

VAR complaints

One day I presented this idea to Velasco Carballo and told me that this was not the case, that from ref to VAR what they want is to help each other out, that the person who is corrected is grateful that they have been made aware of the error. I am not convinced, though, and I still think that referees of a previous generation would feel less comfortable suggesting a change of decision may be required to those they have never worked with. The VAR corrects many things, and Velasco Carballo usually explains it by giving triumphant appearances of transparency, but now the mistakes are proving impossible to digest. And, as they say, if you don't cry, you don't get what you want. Barça cried, and got what they wanted.