{"id":486046,"date":"2026-02-17T16:05:07","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T16:05:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/486046\/"},"modified":"2026-02-17T16:05:07","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T16:05:07","slug":"raphinha-on-laliga-refs-rules-are-different-for-barcelona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/486046\/","title":{"rendered":"Raphinha on LaLiga refs: Rules are different for Barcelona"},"content":{"rendered":"

Raphinha<\/a> said Barcelona<\/a> are playing under different rules to other teams after Girona<\/a> beat them 2-1<\/a> on Monday to inflict a second successive defeat on Hansi Flick’s side.<\/p>\n

The loss at Montilivi came just days after Bar\u00e7a were hammered 4-0 by Atl\u00e9tico Madrid<\/a> in the first leg of their Copa del Rey<\/a> semifinal, with both games featuring contested refereeing decisions.<\/p>\n

A Pau Cubars\u00ed<\/a> goal was ruled out early in the second half of the loss to Atl\u00e9tico for offside after a seven minute VAR check, while Bar\u00e7a felt Girona’s winner should have been disallowed for a foul in the build-up.<\/p>\n

“We have a lot to improve on, but not just us,” Raphinha posted on social media<\/a> after Bar\u00e7a’s defeat to Girona saw them slip to second in LaLiga<\/a> behind Real Madrid<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Barcelona’s loss to Girona means they slip two points behind Real Madrid.\u00a0Getty ImagesEditor’s Picks<\/p>\n

2 Related<\/p>\n

“It’s very complicated when the rules are different whether it’s for you or against you, but if we have to play against everyone to win, it’s OK… We’re going to do it.”<\/p>\n

Raphinha’s comments come as Bar\u00e7a continue to claim they are being judged by different standards when it comes to officiating.<\/p>\n

The Catalan club filed a formal complaint <\/a>with the Spanish Football Federation [RFEF] and the Refereeing Committee [CTA] over the weekend about what they perceive to be refereeing inconsistencies in Spanish football.<\/p>\n

In a five-point letter sent to the RFEF and the CTA, Bar\u00e7a alleged a lack of consistency in disciplinary decisions; contradictory criteria in handball rulings; an accumulation of significant refereeing errors; a lack of transparency with the use of VAR; and inconsistent criteria for on-field reviews via the monitor.<\/p>\n

Bar\u00e7a coach Hansi Flick has attempted to avoid being too critical of referees, aware that his side are not playing well at the moment, but said there was a “clear” foul<\/a> before Girona’s winner on Monday.<\/p>\n

Claudio Echeverri<\/a> stepped on Jules Kound\u00e9<\/a>‘s foot before Fran Beltr\u00e1n<\/a>‘s 86th minute winner, but the incident <\/a>was not given as a free kick on the pitch nor deemed worthy of review by the VAR.<\/p>\n

The loss to Girona saw Bar\u00e7a slip two points behind Madrid. As a result, Flick has given his jaded players two days off<\/a> to reset before they return to action in the league against Levante<\/a> on Sunday.<\/p>\n