Overview
- Atlético Madrid has lodged a formal complaint to Spain’s referees’ committee over the VAR decision that changed Gerard Martín’s red card to a yellow in a 2-1 loss to Barcelona.
- Referee Mateo Busquets Ferrer initially showed Martín a straight red for a studs-up challenge on Thiago Almada before a video review led him to reduce it to a booking.
- Atlético posted side-by-side footage on X comparing Martín’s tackle with Real Betis defender Valentín Gómez’s challenge on Andrei Ratiu, which the committee had judged a red-card offense.
- Diego Simeone said the officials got the call wrong, and defender Robin Le Normand argued the outcome would differ if an Atlético player made the same tackle.
- CEO Miguel Ángel Gil Marín criticized what he called shifting standards and the sway of VAR on-field, while the club awaits the committee’s reply and prepares for the Champions League quarter-final at the Camp Nou.