Barcelona fume over alleged refereeing bias as Real Madrid lead La Liga charge
Real Madrid lead the La Liga standings with an impressive four consecutive victories this season.
La Liga.Nevertheless, defending champions Barcelona are in hot pursuit, securing three successive wins despite an initial draw.
Barcelona trail Real Madrid by a mere two points, but beneath the surface, discontent brews within the Catalan giants' camp. The source of their frustration? An array of contentious refereeing decisions throughout the season.
According to insider reports from El Chiringuito, Barcelona have voiced their displeasure at the majority of the officiating choices made so far, which they believe have consistently favoured Real Madrid. These concerns have now been substantiated by a recent investigation.
The club have compiled a damning list of incidents where the referees seemingly wronged them. It all began with the opening-day controversy when Athletic Club was denied a clear penalty, despite Eder Militao's flagrant foul.
In stark contrast, Barcelona found themselves denied a penalty, with referee Soto Grado opting to penalise Gavi instead. The contentious decisions continued when Jude Bellingham's potential handball against Almeria in Real Madrid's second game went unnoticed.
Even in Barcelona's third match, Alexander Sorloth's offside goal was allowed to stand. What compounds their unease is the involvement of VAR in each of these crucial decisions.
Barcelona's mounting frustration over these occurrences raises significant questions about the impartiality of the officials, casting a shadow over the La Liga season.