Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong expressed frustration with referee Jesús Gil Manzano’s perceived arrogance after Barça’s 11-game winning streak was snapped by Real Sociedad on Sunday.
Goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Gonçalo Guedes, sandwiching a header from Marcus Rashford, led La Real to a 2-1 victory at Anoeta, reducing Barcelona’s lead over Real Madrid to just a point.
Barcelona voiced their displeasure over a disallowed goal by Lamine Yamal for offside in the first half, but De Jong, as the captain, was most upset with the referee’s demeanor.
“If it’s ruled offside, it’s offside,” De Jong stated to reporters post-match. “I haven’t seen the replay, but I’ve been informed that it shouldn’t have been offside.”
“However, what troubles me is not being able to communicate with the referee. I just don’t understand it. As the captain, I tried to talk to him, but he looked down at me as if he were superior. It’s incredibly frustrating. Such behavior is unacceptable.”
De Jong also questioned the amount of stoppage time added by Gil Manzano, who ended the match precisely after the nine additional minutes had expired.
“During stoppage time, I told the referee to consider the time, as [Sociedad] were taking a long time for throw-ins and goal kicks, which is normal. But to not add even an extra 10 seconds strikes me as absurd,” the Dutch midfielder continued.
“When I mentioned this to the referee, I got booked, which just shows that engaging with him is futile.”
Barça manager Hansi Flick, who usually refrains from criticizing officials, supported De Jong’s remarks.
“I heard Frenkie’s comments, and he’s correct. However, I prefer not to expend energy on this issue. Anyone watching on TV or in the stadium saw the referee’s performance. We have to accept the result,” Flick stated.
When asked if he perceived Gil Manzano’s officiating style as arrogant, he replied, “Everyone knows that, and I’ve seen comments about it before the game. It’s an established view.”
“I generally speak well of referees because LaLiga has some excellent officials, but Frenkie is correct this time. We have to accept the situation, though it’s not pleasant.”
On a rainy night in San Sebastián, Barça faced regrets for failing to capitalize on chances, marking the end of their winning streak and reducing their lead in LaLiga.
Barcelona recorded an expected goals (xG) of 3.69, hit the post four times, and had three goals disallowed—two for offsides and one due to a foul in the sequence. Ultimately, the only goal they secured was Rashford’s equalizer in the 70th minute.
Oyarzabal had put La Real ahead in the first half, while Guedes netted the winner just one minute after Rashford’s equalizer, ensuring the home team remained unbeaten in four matches under new American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo.
“What a game. What a game,” Matarazzo exclaimed after the match. “To beat Barcelona, you must be highly active, intense, and fully engaged for 90 minutes. We had a bit of luck today and a fantastic performance from our goalkeeper Alex Ramiro. The effort and heart the players showed were remarkable.”
“The response after conceding the equalizer was also exceptional. We quickly aimed for a second goal and managed to get it. We defended fiercely, even with 10 men. Winning requires not just talent but also character.”
Carlos Soler received a red card late in the match for a high challenge on Pedri, but Barcelona couldn’t capitalize to find another equalizer.
“I am disappointed because we lost, but I’m proud of how we played,” Flick remarked, trying to maintain a positive outlook despite the defeat.
“It’s better to create chances than to be concerned about how to score. We’ve played well recently. We need to stay focused and not let the referee’s decisions hinder our momentum.”
“I told the team we played well and were unlucky tonight. Sometimes, you can’t control how the game turns out. This was one of those instances, and we must move forward, as we have a game coming up every few days.”
Flick acknowledged areas for improvement, especially regarding how his players switched off immediately after equalizing.
“We need to defend better,” he stated. “Right after we scored the equalizer, we were in a great position, but conceding a goal right away was devastating. We need to be sharper defensively, especially on crosses. This is something we must work on and enhance.”