Raphinha expressed his belief that Barcelona is subject to different officiating standards compared to other teams, following their Girona defeat of 2-1 on Monday, marking their second consecutive loss under Hansi Flick.
The match at Montilivi came just days after Barça suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Atlético Madrid in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal, with controversial refereeing decisions affecting both matches.
A goal by Pau Cubarsí was disallowed for offside after a lengthy VAR review, while Barça argued that Girona’s winning goal should have been ruled out due to a foul during the build-up.
“We have a lot to improve, but it’s not just us,” Raphinha shared on social media, as the defeat against Girona saw them fall to second in LaLiga, now behind Real Madrid.
“It’s very complicated when the rules seem different depending on whether it’s for or against you. But we are determined to overcome this,” Raphinha stated, reiterating Barça’s stance that they face a distinct level of scrutiny regarding officiating.
The club has lodged a formal complaint with the Spanish Football Federation [RFEF] and the Refereeing Committee [CTA], addressing what they perceive as inconsistencies in officiating standards in Spanish football.
In a five-point letter sent to the RFEF and CTA, Barça outlined concerns over inconsistent disciplinary decisions, contradictory handball rulings, a series of significant refereeing mistakes, transparency issues in VAR usage, and variations in monitoring reviews on the field.
Coach Hansi Flick has tried to refrain from overly criticizing refereeing decisions but pointed out a “clear” foul occurred before Girona’s winning goal on Monday.
Claudio Echeverri stepped on Jules Koundé‘s foot prior to Fran Beltrán‘s winning goal in the 86th minute, but this was not penalized, nor was it reviewed by the VAR.
The defeat to Girona pushed Barça two points behind Madrid. Consequently, Flick has granted his weary players two days off to regroup ahead of their upcoming league match against Levante on Sunday.