‘VAR always favors the same team’: Barcelona President Bartomeu hints at Real Madrid’s bias among League officials


The Blaugrana boss was critical of the video technology system, claiming that the results it produces were influenced by other teams.

Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu accused VAR of favoring the same team, as he hinted that the system was stacked in favor of Real Madrid rivals.

The Blaugrana official made the statement after Barça’s 4-1 victory over Villarreal, which saw the Catalans move four points behind Madrid with four games remaining.

Bartomeu referred to watching Madrid’s 1-0 victory over Athletic Club at San Mamés on Sunday before revealing their dismay at the decisions made by video technology.

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Madrid’s goal to win the game came after the referee saw the VAR field-side monitor give a 76-minute penalty thrown by Sergio Ramos, while Athletic seemed unfortunate not to get a late shot.

“I watched the San Mamés match until almost the end of the second half,” said Bartomeu after Barça’s victory. “I feel bad because we have the best league in the world and the VAR after the coronavirus is not fair.”

“He has changed some results and always favors the same team.”

Since the restart after the coronavirus-forced hiatus, Barcelona’s two-point advantage at the top of the La Liga standings has evaporated with Madrid currently cleared by four with the same number of games to play.

Barcelona’s draws against Sevilla, Celta de Vigo and Atlético de Madrid have allowed Madrid to take the initiative, with Los Blancos winning their seven games since the restart, and only conceding two goals along the way.

Madrid ends the season with games against Deportivo Alaves (local), Granada (as a visitor), Villarreal (at home) and Leganés (as a visitor), while Barcelona faces Espanyol (at home), Real Valladolid (as a visitor) ), Osasuna (as local) and Deportivo Alaves (far).

Barça’s victory against fifth place Villarreal was a positive performance, with Lionel Messi assists 18 and 19 breaking his personal record for most in one La Liga season.

A own goal from Pau Torres in the third minute brought Barça to the best possible start, before the Yellow Submarine returned the blow to the attacker in the form of Gerard Moreno.

But then Messi took over the game, installing Luis Suarez in the 20th minute before helping to end Antoine Griezmann’s goal drought in the halftime coup.

Seventeen-year-old prodigy Ansu Fati put the finishing touches on Barça’s victory four minutes from time with a solo goal.

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