AFPBarcelona issue hilarious response to Spanish Referee's Committee admitting VAR mistake for Girona's winning goal vs La Liga leaders
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Advanced protection across 11 devices with high-speed VPN
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Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's most popular plan, the Advance plan, gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.
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AFPBarca's cheeky social media swipe
Barcelona were not about to let the admission pass quietly, especially given the high stakes of the title race. Taking to their official social media channels, the club delivered a perfectly timed piece of shade directed at the officiating standards in Spain. After the RFEF clarified that the goal was an error, the club's official account posted: "Owning a mistake is a big step. Avoiding it is the next."
The CTA's analysis of the incident was thorough, citing the technicalities of the game’s laws to explain where the officials on the night went wrong. The committee noted: "'Law 12: Fouls and Misconduct' clarifies that a reckless stamp constitutes a foul and a caution. Contesting the ball does not exempt a player from committing an offence. If a player steps on an opponent using excessive force, it must be sanctioned. According to the CTA of the RFEF, the Girona forward removes the defender from the defensive action, and the infringement should therefore be punished with a foul and a yellow card. VAR should intervene, as this involves a clear and obvious error, and advise the referee to change the decision."
Getty Images SportLa Liga title race heating up
Fortunately for the Blaugrana, the officiating error did not keep them off the top spot for long. Flick’s men successfully navigated their next fixture, reclaiming the summit with a convincing 3-0 victory over Levante at Camp Nou. That win, combined with Real Madrid seeing their eight-game winning streak snapped by Osasuna, has restored Barca’s confidence as they look toward a rigorous end-of-season schedule.
With 13 games remaining in the domestic campaign, the margin for error is razor-thin. Barcelona currently sit on 61 points, holding a slender one-point advantage over Los Blancos. The admitted VAR mistake serves as a tense backdrop for what is shaping up to be a historic conclusion to the season, with both heavyweights scheduled to face off in a massive, potentially title-deciding Clasico at the Camp Nou in early May.
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