Referees are frequently the most controversial "player" in a football match, and they never can please everyone. In Spain, debates about whether referees benefitted this team and hampered that team happen almost every week involving all clubs. And, even with VAR and all the technological advances, mistakes still happen and are unavoidable.
As such, the Spanish Referee Committee (CTA) has announced a new measure to try to ease the angriest fans and, at the very least, increase transparency. Every Thursday, they will release a video explaining the most controversial refereeing decisions made in LaLiga EA Sports, LaLiga Hypermotion (first and second division), and LaLigaF every matchday, with the first video released today, September 11.
These plays will be decided by an advisory committee external to the CTA, and the videos are "the result of the reform process and work being carried out by the CTA with its new board, based on the guiding principles of transparency, unified criteria, and objectivity."
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A goal by Ferran Torres from FC Barcelona should have been ruled out
Among the plays discussed in the video, they talk about two controversial plays regarding FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. First, a goal by Ferran Torres from Barcelona against RCD Mallorca "should have been ruled out", the referees says, because Mallorca player Raíllo was on the ground after getting hit in the head by the ball. "In the event of any suspicion of concussion, the referee must stop the game immediately so that the player can be treated", meaning that the goal should not have counted. "This play reminds us that the safety of the footballer comes first, then everything else", they said.
However, another controversial no-goal by Arda Guller for Real Madrid against Oviedo was rightly ruled out by handball, the referees insist.