FC Barcelona arrived at the Reale Arena fully aware that they were walking into a difficult environment, with Real Sociedad buoyed by the energy and confidence that often comes with a new manager. That sense of momentum proved decisive, as the Basque side eventually claimed a 2–1 victory on the night.
Despite the disappointing outcome, Barcelona actually began the match in impressive fashion. From the opening minutes, they looked lively, aggressive, and well-organised. Hansi Flick’s tactical approach was evident early on, particularly his use of a box midfield, which allowed Barcelona to dominate central areas.
Fermín López and Dani Olmo were at the heart of this structure, constantly involved in the build-up and linking play between midfield and attack. Their movement and intensity caused Real Sociedad problems and gave the impression that Barcelona were firmly in control.
That early dominance appeared to be rewarded when Barcelona thought they had taken the lead. The move began with Dani Olmo challenging Takefusa Kubo for possession.
Fermín López then collected the ball and produced a superb finish from outside the penalty area, sparking celebrations among the visiting players. However, those celebrations were short-lived. Referee Gil Manzano was advised by VAR to review the incident, and after an on-field check, the goal was ruled out.
Following the match, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) released sections of the VAR audio relating to the decision, shedding light on the reasoning behind the call.
As reported by SPORT, the VAR officials alerted Manzano to a possible foul during the attacking phase. The VAR explained that the change of possession occurred when a Barcelona player failed to make contact with the ball and instead struck the leg of the Real Sociedad player. Manzano was encouraged to review the action himself, as it fell within the attacking phase of play.
Upon watching the footage, Manzano agreed with VAR’s assessment. He acknowledged that, in real time, he believed the Barcelona player had won the ball cleanly.
However, the replay showed otherwise. According to the referee, Olmo did not touch the ball and instead made contact with Kubo’s leg, making it a foul. As a result, he concluded that the ball recovery leading to the goal was illegal and decided to restart play with a neutral ball.
While there is a reasonable argument that the challenge by Olmo could be interpreted as a foul, the controversy lies in the apparent inconsistency of VAR’s application. During the build-up to Real Sociedad’s first goal, Dani Olmo himself was subjected to a very similar challenge.
In that instance, the Sociedad player also failed to touch the ball and made contact with Olmo, yet VAR did not intervene. The similarity between the two incidents has led to renewed criticism of the system, particularly regarding its lack of consistency and transparency.
In the end, these fine margins played a significant role in the outcome. Barcelona were left to reflect on another frustrating defeat, with Flick’s side walking away empty-handed, having lost three valuable points amid lingering questions about refereeing decisions and VAR’s overall fairness.
