Barcelona Criticizes La Liga for Absence of Goal-line Technology in Controversial El Clásico Loss to Real Madrid

Barcelona manager Xavi and goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen criticized La Liga for not having goal-line technology. They felt frustrated when their team was denied a goal they believed was valid during Sunday's 3-2 loss to Real Madrid in El Clásico.

The moment of controversy happened in the 28th minute, right after Real Madrid's Vinícius Jr. scored to tie the game 1-1. This came after Andreas Christensen had put Barcelona ahead early on at the Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid.

Lamine Yamal, a teenager, redirected Raphinha's corner kick at the near post, surprising Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin. Lunin quickly scooped the ball away from the goal, but Barca players believed it had actually gone over the line.

Barca players protested loudly, but referee César Soto decided on the field that the ball did not cross the line. The incident was then reviewed by VAR for further clarification.

The camera angles from VAR were not clear enough to make a definitive decision. One angle, looking straight down the goal line, was obstructed by Lunin’s body, so Soto’s initial call remained unchanged.

La Liga is the sole league among Europe’s top five that does not utilize goal-line technology. According to Spanish source Cadena Ser, league president Javier Tebas declined to invest the €3 million ($3.2M) needed to implement this system at the beginning of the current season.

FIFA states that goal-line technology can quickly inform a referee if the ball has completely crossed the line.

The technology consists of 14 high-speed cameras placed on the stadium's catwalk or under the roof. These cameras capture data to generate a 3D animation that helps fans watching on TV or on the stadium's giant screen understand the referee's decision. FIFA provides a detailed explanation of this technology on its website.

Barcelona's German Marc-Andre ter Stegen called La Liga's lack of goal-line technology 'embarrassing.'

Barcelona's German Marc-Andre ter Stegen called La Liga's lack of goal-line technology 'embarrassing.'

La Liga has not yet responded to CNN's request for comment. However, Tebas, the president of La Liga, shared screenshots of four old articles on Twitter, which showed errors made by goal-line technology in different European leagues. The most recent article was over two years old. Tebas captioned the post with "No comment."

Tebas’ post has faced a lot of criticism. In an article for Spanish outlet Diario AS, Lucía Taboada humorously compared La Liga’s resistance to using goal-line technology to someone choosing to ignore modern technology advancements.

She wrote, “It's like wanting to still use torches and oil lamps when you have electricity in your building. Or choosing to live with an infection even though you have antibiotics available. That’s the situation in La Liga with goal line technology.”

Real Madrid secured a victory in El Clásico with a last-minute goal from Jude Bellingham, extending their lead over Barcelona to 11 points in the race for the La Liga title.

Ter Stegen expressed frustration with the controversial goal, stating, "I'm at a loss for words to describe what happened on the goal line. It's a disappointing moment for football. Despite the wealth in the industry, the focus seems to be on the wrong priorities."

“I don’t understand how there cannot be money to implement the technology that other leagues have.”

Xavi said he agreed “completely” with his goalkeeper.

"It's disappointing that there is no goal-line technology. If we want to claim we have the top league in the world, we should have it," he expressed.

"Everyone witnessed it. What more can I add? They can penalize me. The evidence is clear. Today, the overwhelming sensation is one of unfairness.

Jude Bellingham's stoppage time winner handed Real a huge victory in La Liga's title race.

Jude Bellingham's stoppage time winner handed Real a huge victory in La Liga's title race.

David Ramos/Getty Images

“I said before the match that I hoped the referee would go unnoticed and get the decisions right. In the end, neither of the two have happened.”

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti disagreed with Xavi and Ter Stegen when asked about their opinions on the match. According to Forbes, Ancelotti stated, "I don’t want to comment on what Xavi thinks. Everyone is free to think what they want." He also mentioned that he believed it was a difficult and well-played game at a high level. Ancelotti expressed doubt about the validity of the goal scored, mentioning the lack of a clear image to confirm its legitimacy.

Editor's P/S:

The absence of goal-line technology in La Liga, as highlighted in the article, is a glaring omission in the supposedly top league in the world. The incident during El Clásico, where Barcelona was denied a legitimate goal due to the lack of clear camera angles, underscores the urgent need for this technology to be implemented. Goal-line technology has been proven effective in providing accurate and timely decisions, reducing controversies and ensuring fairness in matches.

Moreover, the resistance from La Liga president Javier Tebas, who dismisses the technology by citing isolated incidents of errors in other leagues, is short-sighted and undermines the credibility of the competition. Goal-line technology has become an indispensable tool in modern football, and its absence in La Liga is a major setback for the league's reputation and the integrity of the game. It is imperative that La Liga invests in this essential technology to bring it in line with other top leagues and ensure that all teams have an equal chance of success on the pitch.