Rayo Vallecano were outraged after a VAR malfunction prevented a review of Lamine Yamal’s first-half penalty during their 1-1 draw against the reigning La Liga champions.
Barcelona dropped their first points of the La Liga season as Rayo Vallecano rallied to secure a draw at home in a heated match marred by a problematic Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system.
Rayo substitute Fran Perez equalized in the 67th minute, capitalizing on a corner kick as he found himself unmarked at the back post after Lamine Yamal had given Barcelona the lead with a penalty in the 40th minute.
The controversy stemmed from a malfunctioning VAR that could not review Pep Chavarria’s challenge on Yamal, which led to the penalty being awarded.
While Chavarria did make contact with Yamal’s thigh, the decision might have been overturned if the VAR had been operational.
Both teams were made aware of the faulty system at the start of the match, but Rayo’s strong protests against referee Mateo Busquets’s decision created a tense atmosphere for the remainder of the game at Vallecas Stadium.
Home fans expressed their anger at every decision that went against Rayo.
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Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia made several crucial saves to prevent Rayo from claiming victory, especially after the club from the Madrid suburbs secured a spot in the Conference League group phase, marking their return to European competition after 24 years.
Garcia denied Andrei Ratiu with a close-range save in the 12th minute and later made spectacular stops against Isi Palazon and Jorge de Frutos during a breakaway.
In the dying moments, substitute Sergio Camello had a chance to win the match for Rayo, but misfired his shot, allowing Garcia to easily collect the ball.
For Barcelona, Daniel Olmo missed a straightforward opportunity shortly after Yamal’s penalty, sending his shot over the crossbar from close range, which drew an angry response from coach Hansi Flick.
