Diego Simeone, coach of Atletico Madrid, has decided to join the debate about the controversy around referees in La Liga after Real Madrid got a 3-2 win against Almeria at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.
Three VAR reviews determined the outcome of the game. A penalty kick awarded to Real Madrid following a previous foul by Antonio Rüdiger, a goal disallowed for Almeria due to a previous foul by Lopy over Jude Bellingham and a goal scored by Vinicius Jr that appeared to involve a handball.
Furthermore, journalist Gerard Romero just made public many audios leaked from the VAR room of that game. The one which outraged Spain ‘forgave’ an aggression by Vinicius Jr when the Brazilian star hit Alejandro Pozo in the face. Referees saw it, but didn’t ask for a red card.
This was Simeone’s take on the matter. “Then, we start arguing whether the audio is good or whether we should call the police because they are leaking it. What matters is not what they leak but what happens. They think we’re all fools. That makes me angry.”
Diego Simeone believes referees are under huge pressure
Diego Simeone admitted VAR has brought a new reality for referees in which their mistakes are now more evident to the public opinion. “I believe that referees are going through very pressured moments. Absolutely. I think VAR improves it, but it also exposes them. That’s the reality.”
Up to this point, La Liga authorities have not announced any type of sanction for the VAR referee, Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez. In fact, they have scheduled him for the quarterfinal match of Copa del Rey between Atletico Madrid and Sevilla.
However, what has been confirmed is that La Liga has filed a complaint with the Civil Guard in Spain to determine who was responsible for leaking the audio from the VAR room. This could have serious consequences for journalist, Gerard Romero.
