Clash in Catalonia: Barca Edges Espanyol Amid Controversial Derby Moment
6 January 2026
Catalan Derby Sparks Controversy as Barca Edge Espanyol
The Catalan derby between Barcelona and Espanyol, last Saturday in La Liga's round 18, featured an unusual moment that sparked wide debate, as the match ended with the Catalan side's victory (2-0).
In the 19th minute, after a superb save by goalkeeper Juan Garcia from a shot by Roberto Fernandez, the ball rebounded to a dangerous area as striker Pere Milla closed in.
Then Garcia realized that his defender teammate Gerard Martin wouldn't reach in time, so he pushed him lightly from behind, deliberately, giving him the boost to close the angle and prevent Espanyol from shooting.
The move worked perfectly, helping to keep Barcelona's net clean until late goals from Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski, but it stirred significant refereeing controversy.
And former international referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz stated in his analysis on the program El Día Después on Movistar Plus that the shove constitutes unsportsmanlike conduct under FIFA rules.
A goalkeeper should not commit such an act, especially as it could expose his teammate to injury. The restart should have been an indirect free kick for Espanyol inside the box, with a possible yellow for Garcia.
He added that the incident isn't one where VAR would intervene since the punishment wasn't a direct penalty.
Despite the controversy, referee Víctor García Verdura did not intervene, appearing to regard the push as unintentional, while Garcia's heroic saves helped Barcelona seal three valuable points.
Punchline: If refereeing were a cardio class, Lahoz would be sprinting laps around VAR. Punchline 2: Barca’s win proves coffee stays calm better than VAR in a derby.
