On 14 February, Barcelona officially announced that the club has sent official letter of complaint to the Spanish Federation regarding inconsistencies in refereeing decisions.

Official Statement

FC Barcelona hereby announces that this Saturday 14 February it has sent a formal letter to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), addressed to its President, the President of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA), the head of VAR, and the Director of Legal Affairs, in which the club expresses its deep concern over the repeated refereeing decisions it considers damaging to the game and lacking consistent criteria.

In the document, the club sets out several key points:

1. Lack of consistency in disciplinary criteria

FC Barcelona denounces the existence of differing decisions in response to actions of an identical nature, particularly with regard to disciplinary sanctions. This disparity creates a perception of double standards incompatible with the principles of fairness, equality and legal certainty that should govern competitions.

2. Contradictory criteria in handball decisions

The club highlights the inconsistency in the interpretation of handball incidents inside the penalty area, even in matches officiated by the same referees. This lack of uniformity reinforces the perception of arbitrariness and unpredictability in the application of the rules.

3. Accumulation of significant errors

Beyond isolated cases, FC Barcelona points to the repeated occurrence of blatant refereeing errors throughout the season, many of them decisive and to the detriment of the club. This accumulation directly affects the integrity of the competition and generates growing distrust.

4. Use and transparency of VAR

The club expresses reasonable doubts regarding the use and proper application of the technology, particularly in millimetre-level decisions that are not accompanied by conclusive technical explanations. It also denounces the lack of transparency in the management and publication of VAR audio recordings.

5. Criteria for on-field reviews via TV monitor

FC Barcelona questions the absence of clear and consistent criteria when referees are sent to review incidents on the pitch-side monitor, which contributes to a perception of insecurity and inequality in decision-making.

The club wishes to make it clear that this initiative is not intended to question the professionalism of the refereeing community, but rather to call for an urgent review of the criteria applied in order to guarantee:

      •     Consistency in refereeing decisions

      •     Equal treatment between clubs

      •     The credibility and prestige of competitions

Likewise, FC Barcelona requests the full publication of all VAR audio recordings, regardless of whether an on-field review takes place, as an essential measure for transparency and refereeing education.

Finally, the Club proposes the creation of a specific disciplinary code or regulation for the refereeing body that establishes public and transparent consequences in cases of serious errors or negligence, with the aim of strengthening confidence in the system. This proposal is not solely intended to defend the Club’s own interests, but is framed within a broader commitment to contribute to the proper overall functioning of the competition and to the benefit of all clubs, with the objective of preventing similar situations from recurring and ensuring a clear, stable, and equitable framework of action for all.

FC Barcelona demands that its requests be examined with the utmost seriousness and that concrete measures be adopted to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.