Barcelona question VAR and referee conduct after defeat at Real Sociedad

January 19, 2026 Oliver Obel

Debate over refereeing standards and VAR communication in LaLiga intensified after Barcelona’s 2–1 defeat away to Real Sociedad, a match dominated by controversy rather than football.

The key incident came in the 27th minute, when Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal appeared to give the visitors the lead. The goal was overturned following a VAR review for a marginal offside, a decision that quickly became the central talking point of the match.

Disallowed goal fuels frustration

Barcelona captain Frenkie de Jong criticised both the decision and the way it was explained to players, speaking in post-match television interviews quoted by several Spanish outlets.

“If it is offside, it is offside,” de Jong said, according to AS. “I did not see it, but we were told that it was not offside. This also happened to us here last year.”

De Jong suggested that conflicting information from officials contributed to the players’ sense of injustice, particularly given the fine margins involved.

Captain criticises referee conduct

The Dutch midfielder was more direct when discussing referee Jesús Gil Manzano, accusing him of failing to communicate properly with players during the match.

“What I am trying to say is that you are not even allowed to talk to the referee, which I do not understand, especially because I am the captain,” de Jong said, as reported by Cadena SER. “He looks at me with a face as if he is better than me. That is very frustrating. You cannot behave like that.”

Under LaLiga guidelines, team captains are permitted to address referees during matches, a point de Jong repeatedly referenced in his remarks.

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Dispute over stoppage time

De Jong also criticised how added time was managed, alleging that Real Sociedad were allowed to waste time late in the game.

“Throughout added time I told him to watch the clock,” he said, according to Barca Blaugranes. “They take a minute for throw-ins and goal kicks, which is normal. And then he allows barely ten seconds of extra time. That is insane. I told him that, and I got a yellow card.”

Flick backs his captain

Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick struck a more measured tone but did not dismiss his captain’s concerns. Speaking after the match, he said he did not want to dwell on refereeing decisions but acknowledged visible issues on the pitch.

“I am not disappointed with the referee, but everyone saw what happened,” Flick said, according to Barca Blaugranes. “We will focus on ourselves.”

Flick added that communication appeared to be a recurring problem. “Frenkie is right. He is the captain, he is on the pitch, and he wants to speak to the referee. With Gil Manzano, there is definitely a lack of communication,” he said.

Title race implications

The defeat proved costly for Barcelona in the title race. Real Madrid capitalised by beating UD Levante 2–0, reducing the gap to league leaders Barcelona, who remain on 49 points, to just one.

Beyond the standings, the match has added momentum to an ongoing debate in Spain over VAR transparency, timekeeping, and the relationship between referees and players issues that continue to shape LaLiga’s public discussion.

Sources: AS, Cadena SER, Barca Blaugranes, LaLiga official website