Raphinha comments on LaLiga officiating: Regulations vary for Barcelona.
Raphinha stated that Barcelona is operating under different regulations compared to other teams after Girona defeated them 2-1 on Monday, marking a second consecutive loss for Hansi Flick’s squad.
The defeat at Montilivi followed a heavy 4-0 loss to Atlético Madrid in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal, with both matches featuring disputed officiating decisions.
A goal by Pau Cubarsí was disallowed early in the second half against Atlético due to offside after a seven-minute VAR review, while Barça believed that Girona’s winning goal should have been ruled out for a foul during the buildup.
“We have much to improve on, but it’s not just us,” Raphinha wrote on social media after Barça’s loss to Girona caused them to drop to second place in LaLiga behind Real Madrid.
“It’s quite challenging when the rules seem to differ depending on whether they favor you or not, but if we must compete against everyone to achieve victory, that’s fine… We will do it.”
Raphinha’s remarks come as Barça persist in asserting that they are being evaluated by different standards regarding officiating.
The Catalan club lodged a formal complaint with the Spanish Football Federation [RFEF] and the Refereeing Committee [CTA] over the weekend concerning what they view as inconsistencies in officiating within Spanish football.
In a five-point letter addressed to the RFEF and the CTA, Barça claimed there is a lack of consistency in disciplinary actions; contradictory criteria in handball decisions; a series of significant refereeing mistakes; insufficient transparency regarding VAR usage; and inconsistent standards for on-field reviews via the monitor.
Barça coach Hansi Flick has tried to refrain from being overly critical of referees, recognizing that his team is currently underperforming, but noted that there was a “clear” foul prior to Girona’s winning goal on Monday.
Claudio Echeverri stepped on Jules Koundé’s foot before Fran Beltrán’s winner in the 86th minute, yet the incident was neither called as a free kick on the field nor considered worthy of VAR review.
The defeat to Girona resulted in Barça falling two points behind Madrid. Consequently, Flick has granted his fatigued players two days off to recuperate before they resume league action against Levante on Sunday.
