Betis hit out at three key refereeing calls in Barça clash

Betis and Barcelona played a heated match full of refereeing controversy, but the biggest flashpoint came when VAR ruled out Giovani Lo Celso’s goal at the 43rd minute. The review focused on a hand by Cucho Hernández, and after a check lasting 16 seconds, the VAR decision cancelled the 2-2.

Betis’ main complaints

Betis also protested the 1-3 at the 53rd minute, after Gabriel Jesús scored from a sequence that began with Fermín lifting his right leg. Betis claimed dangerous play, asking to have the goal overturned, but De Burgos did not see an offense and the VAR did not intervene.

The match then boiled over over Facundo Bernal’s sending off for two headers after a confrontation with Lamine Yamal. The incident grew from a stoppage after Fermín went down, with Betis goalkeeper Álvaro Valles moving towards him, followed by a chain of pushes and tackles that ended with the referee showing Bernal a red card and booking Lamine.

Barça side protests too

On the other side, Barcelona complained about a possible foul by Abde before the 2-3, when Fermín went down in a challenge and was later beaten by the shot. They also raised an incident involving Fornals’ elbow to Rodri, which was not punished despite Fornals apologising to Rodri. After the match, Manuel Pellegrini criticised the officiating in his DAZN interview and in his press conference.