Barcelona players were left stunned when a goal was ruled out during their 4-1 La Liga win over Espanyol in round 31.
Ferran Torres had already netted twice and was poised for a hat-trick, only for the third effort to be ruled out for offside.
The 55th-minute effort had seemed legitimate: Lamine Yamal delivered a cross into the box, Eric García nodded it down, and Torres slotted the ball into the net.
The assistant referee immediately raised his flag for offside, and after a VAR review, the decision stood: García was indeed beyond the last defender. Yet the available footage left the incident far from clear.
Mundo Deportivo noted that, after watching the replay, coach Hansi Flick’s reaction on the bench said it all.
According to the publication, Flick’s body language—clasping his fingers together—suggested the decision was barely perceptible.
The semi-automated offside graphic shown on television only deepened the uncertainty, offering little clarity.
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