Punishment handed out for VAR referees after Barcelona and Real Madrid errors
David Gálvez Rascón and Daniel Jesús Trujillo will be punished by the CTA.
The Spanish Refereeing Committee (CTA) will punish the VAR referees from Monday’s Girona 2-1 Barcelona match and Saturday’s Real Madrid 4-1 Real Sociedad game, both from matchday 24.
The refereeing body, presided over by Fran Soto, will impose a “in the fridge” suspension, meaning removal from duty until further notice, on David Gálvez Rascón, who assisted Soto Grado as VAR referee at Montilivi. Daniel Jesús Trujillo, who served in the same role for Hernández Maeso at the Bernabéu, will receive a lighter sanction and be reassigned as assistant VAR in his next appointment.
According to AS, the CTA believes that in the Girona-Barcelona match, Echeverri’s challenge on Koundé could have been penalised as a foul by the Argentine striker on the French defender. As a result, the entire attacking sequence that followed, which ended with Fran Beltrán’s 2-1 goal, should have been ruled out.
As Iturralde González, refereeing analyst for AS and radio station Cadena SER, had already stated during his commentary on Carrusel Deportivo, the 2-1 goal should not have counted. Complaints from Barcelona players, as well as public criticism from Flick and, more recently, Laporta, accelerated the refereeing body’s decision to sanction the VAR official at Montilivi, who did not advise Soto Grado to review the incident.
Related stories
Trujillo, the VAR referee in the Real Madrid-Real Sociedad match, will face a lesser punishment. In his next assignment, he will serve as assistant VAR. Although the second penalty given against Aramburu for a foul on Vinicius sparked controversy, the CTA concluded that awarding it was not an error.
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.