Rayo Vallecano president speaks out on VAR issues, penalty vs Barcelona – ‘The game must be stopped’ | OneFootball

Barcelona’s draw against Rayo Vallecano was anything but the result the Catalans would have hoped for entering the international break after, for it sees them drop points and fall behind Real Madrid.

The situation, however, could well be worse for the Blaugrana as only a Joan Garcia masterclass helped them hold on to three points.

In fact, serious questions have been asked even about the one goal they did score on the night, especially given that it arrived in a passage of play where VAR communication was malfunctioning.

Rayo Vallecano president talks

Speaking to the media in a recent interview, Rayo Vallecano president Raul Martin Presa was asked his opinion on the VAR outage that affected his team’s game against Barcelona and how he saw the penalty that was awarded on the night.

The administrator had his thoughts clear on how a situation should be handled if VAR is unavailable.

“The game must be stopped, just as if there was an emergency or power cut.”

He then elaborated on how it was La Liga’s protocol to play with VAR and how it must not be bypassed under any circumstances.

“Our obligation is to respect La Liga’s protocols, but if a league has to be played with VAR, it has to be played all, and if it is without VAR, it is without VAR.”

“In this case, if you have to stop the game, just like if there is a power cut or a health emergency,” he added.

The club president also added that time should not be a factor in deciding the rules in such a scenario.

“If instead of finishing at eleven thirty you have to finish at two in the morning, it will have to be like this.”

Questioning the referees on their bias, he asked if the outcome would have been the same had a Rayo Vallecano player gone down in the Barcelona box instead.

“What would have happened if that play had occurred the same way in the other area? If there are rules, it is the same for everyone.”

Lamine won and scored a penalty vs Rayo Vallecano. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Finally, he called out the referee’s decision and explained that, in his eyes, Lamine Yamal did not deserve a penalty.

“For me, it’s not a penalty, I speak honestly. Is there contact? Yes, but the player wins the position. Lamine Yamal hits against the hamstrings from behind our player.”

“Football is being distorted. For it to be a penalty, there must be a willingness to make a penalty, and this was not a penalty,” he added.

On the heat Barcelona players faced from the stands

One of the other stirring instances during the same game came when Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde, Marc Casado and others were threatened not to hand out their shirts to kids in the stands. The president was strictly against what unfolded on the night, as he said:

“No one has to cheer if they don’t want to, but on Sunday, we saw an embarrassing image. Two players wanted to give some shirts to some children, but they didn’t let them. The people of Vallecas are not like that.”

“We are delighted that figures are coming. I doubt that in more places they have received more affection,” he added.

Defending the fans of his team, the club president said: “They are unspeakable people and they don’t owe anyone. People are free and we have to go down the street and to the stadium with freedom. This directive will not allow the law of fear.”

Source: Mundo Deportivo