Spanish Referees Committee: VAR Erred in Overturning Red Card for Barcelona's Martín
The Referees Committee of the Spanish Football Federation has acknowledged the validity of Atlético Madrid's protest regarding a VAR decision during their recent match against Barcelona.
The committee deemed that the VAR intervention to overturn the direct red card issued to player Gerard Martín was an incorrect decision, thus confirming the legitimacy of the Madrid club's grievance concerning the refereeing incident at the Metropolitano stadium.
The incident occurred at the start of the second half when Gerard Martín fouled Atlético Madrid player Thiago Almada. The on-field referee initially showed a direct red card for dangerous play, but the VAR room called the referee to review the decision, leading him to downgrade it to a yellow card.
In its weekly review, the Referees Committee clarified that contesting the ball does not absolve a player of responsibility. A spokesperson for the committee stated, “The fact that the ball was touched first does not negate the presence of reckless, dangerous, or rough play in the follow-through, especially when studs make contact with the side of an opponent's leg and cause a joint to twist.”
The committee further explained its technical interpretation of the situation, noting that the on-field referee had correctly assessed the intensity of the challenge, the area of impact, and the consequences of the tackle before making his initial decision. The match also saw difficult circumstances for the home side, who had been playing with ten men since the final moments of the first half following Nicolás González's red card. Gerard Martín's incident, occurring just two minutes into the second half, further intensified the refereeing controversy surrounding the encounter.
In contrast, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick expressed a different view after the match, stating that he did not believe the tackle warranted a red card. However, the technical report issued by the Spanish refereeing authorities settled the debate by confirming that the VAR intervention was not justified in that instance, emphasizing the correctness of the original on-field assessment made by the referee during the game.
