Neverazo for Soto Grado? CTA speaks out after El Clásico: 'The refereeing has been...'

Once again, the referee had an excessive influence on the development of El Clásico. The match was marked by Soto Grado's decisions, appointed by CTA to officiate the most media-covered match in Spanish soccer. Mateo Busquets could have been in charge, but CTA chose Soto Grado and the decision was not the most accurate after what was seen on the field.

The referee from La Rioja was involved in controversy from the very first minutes. Right after the start, he awarded a penalty for a foul by Lamine Yamal on Vinícius Júnior, but he received a call from VAR and ended up overturning his decision. The play left doubts, since contact did exist, but the interpretation was changeable, already creating a tense atmosphere from the beginning.

From that moment on, Soto Grado found himself in a match that was difficult to manage. Minutes later, he disallowed a goal by Kylian Mbappé for an alleged offside that many consider nonexistent. The replays showed that the ball might have been touched by Fermín López, a Barça player, which would have put the French striker in a legal position.

The lack of control kept increasing as the minutes went by. In Jude Bellingham's 2-1 goal, there was a previous foul by Dean Huijsen on Pau Cubarsí that the referee did not call. The play went completely unnoticed by Soto Grado and by VAR, but it sparked protests from the Barça bench and added more fuel to the fire in a very heated Clásico.

However, the most striking episode came in the final minutes of the match. With tempers flaring, Soto Grado lost absolute control of the match. He did not know how to stop the provocations, and what started as a simple clash ended in a monumental brawl that resulted in seven yellow cards and two expulsions.

CTA grades Soto Grado

The general feeling was of erratic refereeing and a lack of authority, something that was reflected in the tension with which El Clásico ended. However, CTA doesn't seem to share that view. Its president, Fran Soto, replied to the criticism with a surprisingly complacent speech.

"Soto Grado was accurate. The decisions were correct. I am satisfied with the refereeing, I am not going to discuss specific plays, but yes," said the president of CTA in statements to COPE.

His words have caused surprise both in the clubs and among the fans. CTA has wanted to close ranks around their referee. There will be no "neverazo" or sanction for Soto Grado, who will continue refereeing as usual in the coming matchdays.

El Clásico has once again made it clear that Spanish refereeing is going through a very delicate moment, both because of their performances and the subsequent management of them. The refereeing errors at Bernabéu were evident. However, CTA keeps their stance: Soto Grado acted well, although soccer, once again, seemed to tell a different story.