Barca president frustrated with VAR after 0-4 defeat

Barcelona’s president publicly condemned VAR after the 0-4 defeat against Atletico Madrid, stating that the disputed call greatly influenced the semi-final match of the King’s Cup.

The heavy 0-4 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final not only hurt Barcelona professionally but also ignited a wave of outrage over a controversial VAR decision.

The focus of the controversy was the moment Pau Cubarsi put the ball into Atletico’s net but the goal was disallowed after an extended VAR review lasting eight minutes. Many in the dressing room believed that if the goal had counted, the match’s momentum might have shifted.

Speaking after the game, interim president Rafa Yuste did not hide his frustration. He said that the fans’ anger reflected the shared feelings of the club’s management.

Yuste was frank: “I can only describe it as shameful. We had to wait eight minutes just to make one decision. As president, I assure you that Barcelona will not overlook this and will demand a clear explanation.”

He stated that spending so much time on a single play was “unacceptable,” while also questioning the transparency and operation of the VAR system.

The controversial decision quickly became a hot topic after the match, even overshadowing the heavy scoreline. Within Barcelona, many players were puzzled by the lengthy review time and the lack of detailed information during the video check.

Nevertheless, Yuste urged the entire team to focus on the second leg. After the 0-4 defeat, the chance to overturn the result is extremely slim, but Barca’s leadership believes the home atmosphere could work wonders.

“We have taken a hard blow. But hopefully in the return match, with the stadium packed and fans boosting morale, the team can stage a comeback,” Yuste emphasized. Barcelona now faces a huge challengenot only in terms of performance but also in internal confidence, as off-field controversies continue to cast a shadow over the Catalan club’s ambitions.