Watch: VAR discussion during Barcelona’s penalty appeal against Rayo Vallecano

The refereeing decisions during Barcelona’s 1-0 win against Rayo Vallecano sparked controversy, particularly with the referee Melero Lopez awarding a penalty to Barça and disallowing a goal for the visitors. 

The turning point of the match came when Inigo Martinez was prevented from reaching a corner kick due to Pathe Ciss’s hold on him. 

Initially, Lopez did not signal for a foul, but after being advised by VAR official Diaz de Mera to review the incident, he reconsidered and pointed to the penalty spot. This decision played a decisive role in shaping the result.

VAR conversation

Following the match, the VAR audio recordings were made public, revealing the exchange between the on-field referee and the VAR room. 

The discussion focused on whether the foul was clear enough to warrant a penalty, with Lopez ultimately concluding that Ciss had held Martinez without making any attempt to play the ball. 

VAR: “Mario, I recommend an OFR for you to value a possible penalty.”

Referee: “Perfect, I’m going to see it. Give me the image because I want to see the grabbing. It was Pahe Ciss, wasn’t it?

🗣 AUDIO REVISIÓN VAR

🗓 Jornada 24 | Primera División

⚽ @FCBarcelona_es 🆚 @RayoVallecano | 24’#ArbitrajeRFEF | @CTARFEF pic.twitter.com/uJSvjwEIli

— RFEF (@rfef) February 17, 2025

“Okay perfect I’m going to look at it. The APP is clean, right? There’s nothing else, right?

“It’s short but the ball comes out or nothing, right? There’s nothing else.

“Okay, give me the whole dynamic. Vale is not on the ball. The ball is not in the zone but it’s clear.

“The ball is not in the zone but it’s clear. With his left hand, he’s holding him by the stomach. He doesn’t look at the ball.”

After carefully reviewing the footage, he decided to award the penalty and issue a yellow card to the Rayo Vallecano player.

“I’m going to signal penalty and yellow card. Thank you.”

Refereeing debates are nothing new in La Liga, and this match was yet another example of how VAR can both clarify and complicate officiating decisions. 

While some saw the penalty call as justified, others viewed it as yet another contentious moment in a league where officiating remains a constant point of discussion.