Scandal in the Atlético vs Barcelona match. The referee sent off Gerard Martin, but then overturned his decision
Jan Novak
Dailysports's expert
The Matchday 30 La Liga fixture between Atlético Madrid and Barcelona turned into a real refereeing thriller right at the start of the second half.
Just 35 seconds after play resumed, defender Gerard Martin received a straight red card for a tough challenge, which instantly sparked an uproar both on and off the pitch.
The referee quickly headed to the VAR monitor to review the situation. After a thorough analysis, the decision was dramatically reversed: the red card was rescinded. The officials concluded that Martin got to the ball first and, due to momentum, collided with his opponent’s leg—this detail proved decisive in overturning the call.
Yet the drama didn’t end there. Amid emotional protests from the home side, the referee showed a red card to a member of Atlético’s coaching staff, sending tensions on the touchline soaring even higher.
