The Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) has taken time to look at some of the most controversial moments in the first three matchdays of the new 2025-26 La Liga season.
Two of the incidents involve Barcelona, with the CTA spokesperson Marta Frias providing a verdict on the decisions that happened.
One decision analysed was the handball given against Alejandro Balde against Levante
, with Frias explaining why the penalty was given.“The arm starts from a low position and while the forward prepares
the shot, the defender rises until he is at a right angle to the body. It is a position that is not natural in the game.
“This movement causes the defender to increase the space he occupies and block with his arm a ball that was going towards goal. The referee rightly awards a penalty because in this action the arm is placed in an improper position and prevents a shot on goal.”
Another decision analysed was Ferran Torres’ goal against Real Mallorca that left Barca’s opponents furious as they felt the match should have been stopped due to a potential head injury.
The CTA also feel the game should have been halted.
“The rule is clear: in the event of a blow to the head, the player comes first. What does the protocol say? The referee must stop the game immediately so the player can receive treatment. On this occasion, the referee allowed play to continue, but the impact on the player required stopping the game at that instant.
“Only if the shot on goal had arrived immediately after the impact would the goal have been valid. Therefore, the correct decision would have been to stop the game. This play reminds us that the safety of the player comes first, after everything else.”
The decision to publicly review key decisions was made over the summer, following intense criticism of match referees in La Liga, and is expected to continue throughout the season.
