Was the referee right? No penalty awarded to Barcelona for Balde's handball
Another controversial incident unfolded in the El Clásico in La Liga's 10th round. In the 68th minute, Real Madrid called for a penalty after the ball struck Alejandro Balde's arm inside Barcelona's box during a challenge with Kylian Mbappé.
The Madrid players expected a decision in their favor, but the referee opted not to award the spot-kick. As a result, Barcelona avoided a potentially dangerous situation in front of their own goal, and play continued without a penalty.
But was Real Madrid's appeal justified? Contact between the ball and a player's hand does not automatically constitute an offense. Under the Laws of the Game, the referee must consider the position of the arm, its movement, the distance to the ball and whether the player's body was unnaturally enlarged. It is also important to assess exactly how the ball struck the arm and whether the defender could have avoided the contact.
Therefore, without a detailed replay of the incident, it is impossible to say definitively whether the referee made a mistake or reached the correct decision. The controversial moment is certain to spark debate among Real Madrid and Barcelona fans after the final whistle.
It should be noted that, with 79 minutes played, the score is 1-1. The Catalans responded to Mbappé's goal with a precise finish from Raphinha.
Jan Novak
Dailysports's expert
