The RFEF’s Refereeing Technical Committee (CTA) has released a new ‘Review Time’ segment analysing two contentious incidents from the Real Madrid versus Barcelona ‘Clasico’. They concluded that the correct decisions were reached regarding the penalty claims involving Vinicius Junior and Eric Garcia.
The Refereeing Technical Committee (CTA) has backed the VAR decisions on the controversial moments from last Sunday’s ‘Clasico’, including the non-awarded penalty for Lamine Yamal’s challenge on Vinicius Junior and the handball penalty involving Eric Garcia and Jude Bellingham, according to a video released Tuesday.
In the sixth episode of its Review Time programme, the CTA shared a compilation of the most debated incidents from matchday 10 of the Primera División EA Sports, highlighting the Real Madrid–Barcelona (2-1) clash, and confirmed the correctness of the VAR interventions.
Commenting on the Yamal–Vinicius incident, Marta Frias, spokesperson for the CTA, explained: “After planting his foot, Vinicius Junior is struck by Yamal while attempting to shoot. The action is very quick, and the referee correctly interprets that the contact occurred the other way around. The attacker initiates the contact, so it should not be penalised as a penalty. There was no reckless conduct or excessive force, and no caution is warranted”.
Regarding the penalty initially awarded by Cesar Soto and later overturned by VAR, the CTA added: “The referee’s original decision was incorrect, and the VAR intervention was justified, as there was a clear and obvious error on the field”.
On the handball by Eric Garcia at the 49th minute, Frias further commented: “The ball is heading toward the defender, who, with no legal way to play it, makes a clear extra movement with his left arm, an intentional and unnatural action that blocks the play. The CTA considers the VAR correction fully justified, as the referee’s initial decision not to award a penalty was wrong”.
