Real Sociedad Clinches Victory, Sparking Controversy Over Refereeing Decisions

Real Sociedad earned a well-deserved victory, but Barcelona players were left seething over the officiating by Gil Manzano.

Frustration in Camp Nou

Captain Frenkie de Jong expressed the team’s disbelief at the outcome, stating, “We truly deserved the win today. We created numerous opportunities, but failed to capitalize on them. Our performance was solid; it’s just disappointing that we didn’t emerge victorious.”

Missed Opportunities and Officiating Concerns

De Jong reflected on their inability to finish strong, acknowledging the impressive performance of the opposition’s goalkeeper. He directed further criticism at the officiating, particularly regarding the disallowed goal by Lamine Yamal due to an offside call. “At the end of the day, if an offside is called, there’s nothing to argue about. I didn’t see it myself, but we were informed it wasn’t offside. I even discussed it with the fourth official, recalling a similar incident from last year.”

He continued, sharing his frustrations about the lack of communication with the referee: “As captain, it’s disheartening to be treated that way. The referee had an attitude that suggested he was more important than us, which is extremely frustrating.”

Time Management Concerns

De Jong further commented on the game management, noting, “We squandered far too many chances, and that’s the most frustrating part. During injury time, I repeatedly urged the referee to keep an eye on the clock. They took an excessive amount of time with goal kicks, which is common, yet he didn’t add even an extra ten seconds. It’s baffling. When I pointed this out, I received a yellow card.”