It’s a Clasico that was worth a lot of money in the title race, the last chance for FC Barcelona to return to Real Madrid’s retro and make them doubt in their quest for a 36th national crown. But ultimately, as in the first leg in October, Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham had the last word, giving his team victory in added time at the end of a crazy match (3-2).
Barça, which has led twice, finds itself this morning 11 points behind its great rival and is heading towards a blank season, after its elimination by PSG in the quarter-final of the Champions League. But for the Catalans this disillusionment has the aftertaste of scandal.
“My main feeling is injustice”
At the half-hour mark, when the score was 1-1, a corner from Lamine Yamal deflected at the near post had apparently crossed Lunin’s line. Well, that’s what the people of Barcelona demanded in any case, in vain. Because neither slow motion nor VAR provided a precise response to the trajectory of the ball, and goal-line technology is not used in Spain. La Liga is the only major championship in this case, the tool was considered too expensive by its president, Javier Tebas.
“My main feeling is injustice,” reacted Catalan coach Xavi after the match. If we want to be the best championship in the world, we have to use the best technology. » That the match at the top of the season is partly decided on a fact of play like this is a stone in Tebas’s garden. In the meantime, Barcelona supporters did not hesitate to cry out for injustice. “This is how Madrid wins,” they sang for a long time in the stadium, accusing Real of still being advantaged by the refereeing.
White House coach Carlo Ancelotti did not want to comment on his counterpart’s comments, contenting himself with recalling that no slow motion showed Yamal’s ball “clearly crossing the line”.