Laporta hints at El Clasico REPLAY after Lamine Yamal 'ghost goal'

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 22 Apr 2024 15:20 BST
• 3 min read

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has admitted he will consider asking for El Clasico to be replayed after Lamine Yamal’s ‘ghost goal.’

Jude Bellingham netted a 92nd minute winner for Real Madrid, but Barca are considering the possibility of asking to replay the match due to the decision to not award Yamal’s effort as a goal.

With the score level at 1-1, the 16-year-old appeared to have put Barcelona in the lead, but the lack of goal-line technology in LaLiga ensured the goal was not given.

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Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin was adjudged to have palmed the ball away before it had crossed the line, with VAR unable to confirm whether Yamal’s effort should’ve stood.

Replays suggest the ball may well have crossed the line before Lunin’s intervention, and Laporta has expressed his fury at the officials.

“If it is confirmed that there was a refereeing mistake in Lamine Yamal's goal yesterday, I don't rule out asking for El Clásico to be replayed,” Laporta said. “I want all the images and audio recordings!

He later added: “I inform you that we at FC Barcelona will immediately ask the Technical Jury and the Spanish Football Federation to provide us with all the images and audio recordings produced during the goal shot.”

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What has Xavi said?

Following the match, Xavi was also visibly angry. He told reporters: “I’m not going to say anything about the referee because I will be banned if I do but it was there for all to see. We were the better team tonight and we deserved to win.

“The referee did not get a single decision right. It’s a disgrace and we should not remain silent.

“I hoped the referee would either go unnoticed or get his decisions right but it was neither of those two things.”

Barcelona are now 11 points behind league leaders Real Madrid, while they only hold a two-point advantage over Girona in third.