El Clasico VAR Chronicles: When Two Calls Stole the Spotlight

Key moments from the Clasico VAR saga

Spanish reports reveal the audio recordings from the VAR system during the dramatic Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona, which featured two decisive interventions to correct referee Cesar Soto Grado's decisions, notably the incident involving Vinicius Junior and Lamine Yamal, and a handball decision against Eric Garcia in the second half.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the first moment came early when Soto Grado awarded a penalty to Real Madrid after contact between Lamine Yamal and Vinicius Junior.

However, the VAR assistant Jorge Figueroa Vazquez interrupted: "Soto, review the clip to assess the possibility of overturning the penalty. Let me know when you're at the screen."

As Soto approached the monitor, Figueroa Vazquez added: "We'll show you two frames where Lamine's foot is on the ground first, and Vinicius collides with him from behind."

While watching, the referee replied: "Stop the image at the moment of contact... yes, Lamine did not foul; Vinicius hits his foot from behind. Lamine did not intervene on Vinicius, so I'll award the foul. I'll call the foul because Vinicius committed the offense on Lamine Yamal."

From the VAR room the decision was confirmed: "The foul is correct."

The second intervention came early in the second half inside a Barca box, when Jude Bellingham tried to pass, but the ball deflected off defender Eric Garcia's raised left hand, not in a natural position.

Initially Soto signaled a corner, but Jorge Figueroa Vazquez again intervened: "Soto, review the incident for a possible handball penalty."

The referee went to the screen as the VAR team explained: "We will show you the hand position; for me it's in an illegal position, and we'll show the full clip to assess the situation."

Watching the footage, Soto said: "Okay, the ball hits here, then rebounds... give me a back shot, and now a wider shot to see if there's anyone behind him."

After the extra angle, the referee concluded: "Stop the image when the hand is raised. The hand is very high. The ball first deflects off Eric, then hits Bellingham, and then travels toward that area, the hand being raised as explained in one of the seminars. The hand is not low but covers space, so I'll award a penalty."

Quotes from Xabi Alonso

Xabi Alonso, Real Madrid's coach, spoke calmly to the press after securing his first Clasico win as manager in a 2-1 result, analyzing the reasons for the victory and stressing the mental and future importance of the win.

"I'm very happy for the players; they needed to know they could win a match like this. It was a deserved victory, perhaps even less than the flow of the game, and that's important for the future," he said.

On his personal feelings after the win, the coach said he does not view it as liberation from pressure: "Nothing has been freed for me; we still have a lot to do, we must stay calm."

Vinicius dilemma

The press conference did not lack questions about Vinicius Junior's anger after being substituted, but Alonso handled it calmly: "I left the game with many positives, including Vinicius's performance. We'll talk about it for sure, but I don't want to lose focus on the important points; players have different personalities, and we'll clarify things within the group."

Despite continued questions about the Brazilian star, Alonso chose not to fan the flames, noting that tension is natural in Clasicos: "That's natural; every Clasico has its moments and will continue to. Tension is always present, as long as everything stays within healthy competition there is nothing to worry about."

On the tactical side, Alonso praised his players' sacrifice and discipline, as well as the atmosphere created by the stands: "We looked for the best lineup against an opponent who knows how to play—players defended with conviction, and despite the goal we conceded after losing the ball, we created many chances. I saw the energy in the players and fans; there was incredible energy at the Bernabéu, and that feeling is very important for this project still in its early stages; the relationship with the crowd was fantastic today, I felt it clearly."

Special praise for Bellingham

At the end of the press conference, Alonso singled out Jude Bellingham for his goal and assist: "Jude relies on instinct, rhythm, and emotional impact inside the match, and that’s why he delivered such a big performance today."

Punchline 1: If VAR were a comedian, every joke would be reviewed for a second opinion before it lands. Punchline 2: In football, the only thing higher than the hand is the tension in the stands when a call is pending; at least the popcorn is always ready.