La Liga releases VAR footage, revealing why Barca was given a controversial penalty

La Liga has officially released the audio recording from the VAR team, clarifying the reason Barcelona was penalized with a controversial penalty in their thrilling 3-2 comeback victory against Levante in the second round of La Liga last weekend.

The match at Estadio Ciudad de Valencia saw Barcelona unexpectedly given a penalty in the first half. After a long-range shot by Jose Luis Morales of Levante, the ball struck Alejandro Balde's hand inside the box. Initially, referee Alejandro Hernandez made no call, but after consulting VAR, he pointed to the penalty spot.

This decision sparked strong protests from Barcelona players, who argued that Balde only had a slight touch on his wrist while turning to block the ball, which they felt was insufficient grounds for a penalty. However, VAR confirmed the action as an “unnatural handball” and recommended the referee award the penalty.

According to the footage released by Marca , VAR assistant Jorge Figueroa told referee Hernandez: “Yes, the shot was taken from a distance. Balde extended his arm. This is a penalty, no card, just a penalty.”.

Levante then capitalized on the chance, with Morales calmly scoring to make it 2-0 for the home side before halftime.

Despite the controversial call, Barcelona did not collapse. Coach Hansi Flick’s team fought back strongly in the second half. Within minutes, Pedri and Ferran Torres scored to level the match. The climax came with an own goal by Levante defender Unai Elgezabal, completing Barca’s dramatic 3-2 comeback.

This victory keeps Barcelona’s perfect record intact after two opening rounds of La Liga 2025/26, having previously beaten Mallorca 3-0.

Although La Liga has released the VAR audio to clarify the decision, many Barcelona fans still believe their team is often disadvantaged by VAR technology. Analysts remain divided: some agree it was an “unnatural hand position” handball, while others feel the penalty was too harsh.

Following this emotional comeback, Barcelona will continue their La Liga campaign with an away match against Rayo Vallecano in the early hours of September 1 (Vietnam time). This will be their final game before the international break in September.

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