Barcelona manager Xavier Hernández and Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti have expressed differing opinions regarding a controversial offside decision during Sunday’s El Clasico match.
Barcelona emerged victorious with a 2-1 win over Real Madrid at Camp Nou, extending their lead at the top of La Liga to 12 points.
The game saw early drama when Ronald Araujo deflected the ball into his own net, giving Real Madrid the lead. Sergi Roberto then equalised for Barcelona just before halftime, and Franck Kessie secured the winning goal for the home side in the second half stoppage time. However, it was Marco Asensio’s disallowed goal that proved to be the most contentious issue of the match. VAR ruled the goal out as Asensio’s shoulder was marginally offside in the build-up.
After the match, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti expressed his frustration at the ambiguity of the decision compared to semi-automated offside calls in the UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup.
He questioned the decision and said, “Was it offside? I don’t know. The offside with the semi-automatic seemed quite clear. The game is lost.”
Barcelona manager Xavi, on the other hand, had a different perspective. He dismissed Ancelotti’s complaints, saying, “The offside is clear. Ancelotti’s words surprise me, he is scientific. There is no more debate. I think we were better and the result is fair. 1-0 [to Real Madrid] was already unfair. The team gave everything and that fills me with pride.”
While both managers have differing opinions on the controversial decision, it is clear that Barcelona deserved their win in the El Clasico.
The team displayed a dominant performance, controlling the majority of possession throughout the game and creating numerous chances.
The victory further solidifies their position as the top team in La Liga and sets them up well for the remainder of the season.