In a fiery critique that reignited the “El Clásico” debate, former Spanish international referee Antonio Mateo Lahoz strongly criticized the officiating crew in the recent Real Madrid vs. Barcelona clash, asserting that the Catalan team was “denied” a clear and deserved penalty in the final moments of the match.

Lahoz, known for his controversial decisions throughout his career, made the remarks just one day after Real Madrid secured a 2-1 victory at Santiago Bernabéu, a win that further cemented the Merengues’ lead in La Liga.

“El Clásico Penalty”

Speaking to the Catalan newspaper Sport, Lahoz did not hesitate to dissect the most controversial moment of the match, which occurred in the closing minutes when Barcelona defender Ronald Araújo fell inside Real Madrid’s penalty area following a challenge from Dani Carvajal.

The match referee did not award a penalty, and the VAR team remained silent, a situation Lahoz described as a refereeing scandal. He stated bluntly: “In any other match, it would have been a penalty, but because it’s El Clásico, it was not awarded.”

Lahoz boldly suggested that the “weight” of the match, the charged atmosphere, and the pressure of Santiago Bernabéu directly influenced the referee’s decision, preventing the correct call that could have allowed Barcelona to equalize 2-2.

“Clear Foul” and VAR’s Surprising Absence

Lahoz went beyond expressing his opinion by providing a technical analysis from the perspective of an expert referee, affirming that the foul was obvious and required no interpretation. He added: “The challenge was clear from behind,” pointing out that Carvajal illegally impeded Araújo.

What astonished Lahoz the most was not just the referee’s on-field decision, but the “complete absence” of VAR intervention. He expressed surprise that VAR officials, who had access to multiple camera angles, did not summon the referee to review such a clear incident, raising questions about the system’s operation in high-profile matches.

Exonerating the Referee in the Yamal Incident

Despite his sharp criticism of the refereeing crew over the Araújo incident, Lahoz was fair in analyzing another controversial moment involving Vinícius Júnior and Lamin Yamal. In this case, he confirmed that the referee’s decision was correct after VAR review, which showed no infringement. Lahoz emphasized that Yamal’s action was simply a “natural ball movement” and did not warrant any penalty.

The Pressure of “El Clásico”

Lahoz concluded with a subtle message about the difficulties referees face in such high-stakes encounters, acknowledging that the enormous “fan and media pressure” surrounding El Clásico matches can “sometimes” influence critical decisions.

Through these statements, Mateo Lahoz fueled the ongoing debate about refereeing in Spain, providing Barcelona fans with a strong argument, straight from a former international referee, supporting their sense of injustice in a Clásico night that ended in a defeat and the loss of three crucial points in the title race.