Valencia head coach Rubén Baraja expressed his strong dissatisfaction with the officiating in their recent match against Barcelona, stressing that his team was unfairly treated during the encounter.
In their latest outing, Valencia faced a tough challenge against Barcelona as they aimed to secure a European berth for the next season. The match took place in Catalunya, with Valencia ultimately suffering a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Barcelona.
Following the game, Baraja addressed the media and voiced his belief that one of Barcelona’s goals, which leveled the score at 2-2 early in the second half, should have been disallowed.
Baraja highlighted an instance where Fermín López, who was positioned in an offside position, was involved in the build-up to Robert Lewandowski’s goal.
Despite being offside, VAR deemed that López did not directly interfere with the play, leading to the goal being allowed.
According to Baraja, there was a clear offside in the sequence leading to Lewandowski’s goal. He argued that López’s offside position should have resulted in the goal being disallowed.
However, the referee and VAR officials determined that López’s involvement did not impact the outcome of the play.
Baraja’s comments reflect his frustration with what he perceives as poor officiating during the match, which he believes had a significant impact on the outcome.
In his view, Valencia was unfairly disadvantaged by the decision to allow Barcelona’s goal to stand despite the offside position of López.
The controversy surrounding the goal adds to Valencia’s disappointment as they continue to compete for a European berth in the league.
Baraja’s assertion that his team was on the wrong end of poor officiating underscores the challenges faced by teams in navigating the complexities of match officiating and VAR decisions.
Despite the setback, Valencia remains focused on their goal of securing a European spot for the upcoming season.
Baraja’s remarks serve as a reminder of the importance of fair officiating in ensuring the integrity of football matches and the need for continued vigilance in addressing issues of contention and controversy in the sport.
Rubén Baraja sobre el gol de Lewandowski.
💬 “Puede haber (fuera de juego), no. Lo hay”.
💬 “Fermín está en fuera de juego, otra cosa es que el árbitro considere que es posicional o no, o que no participa”. pic.twitter.com/NC8wwfvlAE
— Relevo (@relevo) April 29, 2024
