Journalist Jose Alvarez Haya has expressed concern that Barcelona will face several challenges in their bid to win La Liga this season, following recent events surrounding Real Madrid.
His comments came after Madrid were awarded four penalties in just five matches, sparking controversy and raising questions about the fairness of refereeing decisions.
Real Madrid have already been the beneficiaries of these penalties in their first five league matches. They were awarded a penalty in their match against UD Las Palmas, another against Betis, and two more during their clash with Real Sociedad.
Remarkably, all these penalties were converted successfully. Vinicius Jr. scored two, while Kylian Mbappe converted the remaining two.
Controversy against Real Sociedad
The second penalty against Real Sociedad, in particular, has been surrounded by debate. During the match, Aramburu stepped on Vinicius’s foot, but the incident occurred after the Brazilian forward had already played the ball.
Despite this, Martinez Munuera, the referee, was alerted by VAR to review the incident. After careful consideration, he decided to award the penalty, which Mbappe calmly slotted home, extending Madrid’s lead to 2-0 in the 75th minute.
Alvarez, when speaking on the matter, did not hold back his criticism. He highlighted the string of penalties Madrid had received in such a short span, saying,
“4 penalties in 5 games for Real Madrid… But there will still be weekly videos of the referees [coming from Real Madrid TV],” tweeted the reporter.
It’s laughable. If Barça wants to win the league, it will have to fight against many factors.”
His words reflect a growing frustration from Barcelona’s side, as they believe they will have to overcome not only the competition but also other external factors if they are to secure the La Liga title.
In essence, Alvarez is emphasising that Barcelona’s path to La Liga glory this season will not be straightforward. The team will need to contend with not just the opposition on the pitch, but also what some may see as biased officiating favouring Real Madrid.
This adds an extra layer of complexity to Barça’s title aspirations, making it clear that the battle for the league could be tougher than expected.
