Former referee Mateu Lahoz has criticised the decision to award Sevilla a penalty against Barcelona on Sunday for a tangle between Ronald Araujo and Isaac Romero.
Romero seemed to lock his legs around Araujo
before throwing himself to the ground, although the VAR claimed the decision was given as the defender “stumbles, trips, putting his leg between the attacker’s two.”
Lahoz was asked about the penalty call on Cadena Cope and made it clear he was amazed to see it given.
“It’s not that I didn’t think it was a penalty, it’s that it’s been a long time since I saw something so serious,” he said.
“Beyond the contact, which is a little bit of Araujo’s foot on Isaac Romero ‘s soleus or Achilles tendon, he does a little jump with both feet at the same time, which is what I’ve always called the salmon jump.”
Araujo was furious after the penalty was given and was heard shouting at the referee: “It’s incredible what you’re doing, incredible.” He then turned his ire to the fourth official, adding: “You swallowed it, you believed it, you took the bait.”
