Barcelona moved back to the top of the La Liga standings courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Celta Vigo at Spotify Camp Nou on Sunday night.
Pedri scored the only goal of the game on the night while Marc-Andre ter Stegen produced a string of impressive stops to ensure that the Catalans came away with all three points from the encounter.
However, as was the case during Barcelona’s clash against Inter Milan, the Catalans were once again denied a clear-cut penalty versus Celta Vigo as well.
The incident occurred in the first half of the match when Raphinha was impeded by Javi Galan inside the box. But the referee did not point to the penalty spot and the VAR also cleared the incident, leaving Barça stars angry and frustrated.
Speaking after the game, manager Xavi Hernandez revealed that Raphinha, in particular, was ‘furious’ and had to be calmed down by the staff.
The Brazilian; who has seen his form taper after a bright start to life at Barcelona, seemingly was incensed that the penalty was not given after Galan’s alleged foul.
“We had to calm Raphinha down in the dressing room. He was very mad with the referee, and told me it was a clear penalty,” Xavi said, after the game (h/t BarçaTV+).
While there may have been controversy regarding the officiating again, the victory is a hugely important one for Barcelona as it helps them generate momentum ahead of two vital clashes this week.
The Blaugrana will face Inter Milan in what would be a must-win game in the UEFA Champions League before they take on Real Madrid in La Liga.
