Beaten on Monday at the Girona FC pitch (1-2), FC Barcelona left the match frustrated, marked by several controversial refereeing decisions.
At the heart of the controversy is the action leading to Girona’s second goal. The Catalans believe a foul on Jules Koundé went unpunished. They argue that the French defender was off balance during his intervention, which directly affected the play and allowed the hosts to score.
This decision sparked outrage among media close to the club and the Barcelona players, who felt wronged at a crucial moment in the match. In a context where every point counts, this defeat leaves a bitter taste for Barça, who see tensions rising around officiating in La Liga.
FC Barcelona is clearly going through a rough patch. Humiliated last week by Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey (4-0), Barça fell again on Monday at the Girona FC pitch.
In a visit to their Catalan neighbors, the club was caught off guard by a sharper and more realistic Girona team (1-2). A bitter defeat for the Blaugranas, who are now on a disappointing streak and, more importantly, have lost their top spot in La Liga after this setback.
However, on Tuesday morning, the Catalan press didn’t just focus on the poor performance of Hansi Flick’s men. A much more controversial topic dominated discussions and fueled the frustration of the Barcelona camp.
The controversy is escalating in Spain after FC Barcelona’s defeat to Girona FC. The entire Iberian press is now pointing fingers at the refereeing, and in Catalonia, the verdict is clear: Barça has been the victim of a true farce.
The action that has drawn all the criticism concerns Girona’s second goal. During the play, Claudio Echeverri allegedly stepped on Jules Koundé’s foot before the finish. An obvious foul for the Blaugranas, but it was neither called nor thoroughly reviewed by VAR.
After the match, goalkeeper Joan Garcia didn’t hide his frustration:
“There was a foul, Jules touched the ball first. But what’s most surprising is that they didn’t call for VAR. On the field, you don’t always see the action. I myself didn’t understand what happened.”
Tensions at the final whistle
Right after the match, Hansi Flick and Ronald Araujo went to ask referee Guillermo Cuadra Fernández for explanations in an already tense atmosphere.
In an interview with DAZN, Flick expressed his annoyance:
“What do you think? Was there a foul? Thank you. I thought so too. If we had played well, I would have talked more about it, but I don’t want to dwell on the second goal. We need to play better and find our best level. The referees’ explanations didn’t convince me.”
Meanwhile, the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) reportedly acknowledged internally that a foul should have been called, further fueling the controversy around a decision that could weigh heavily in the title race.
The controversy continues to grow around FC Barcelona after the defeat to Girona FC.
According to the Madrid daily AS, the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) has acknowledged that a foul should have been called on the action leading to the second goal. This admission adds fuel to the fire in Catalonia, where it is believed this decision directly influenced the outcome of the match.
Even more surprising, Claudio Echeverri himself admitted to stepping on Jules Koundé’s foot. Speaking to El Chiringuito de Jugones, the Argentine said:
“Yes, I stepped on Koundé’s foot, but it wasn’t intentional. Luckily the referee allowed the goal, but if he had disallowed it, I would have understood.”
These statements are sure to infuriate everyone at Barcelona. With the CTA’s internal acknowledgment and the admission from the main player involved, the feeling of injustice is growing among the Blaugranas, already shaken by a series of worrying results.
