December 15 – In a rare case of seeking justice for a wrong VAR decision, a Spanish judge has ruled in favour of Espanyol whose relegation in May was partly precipitated by a ‘ghost’ goal scored by opponents Atletico Madrid.
The judge concluded that the goal was validated irregularly and that the VAR system omitted key images.
The goal from Antione Griezmann earned Atletico a 3-3 draw, a result that hit Espanyol’s doomed efforts to escape the drop, which was confirmed a few days later in a 2-2 draw with Valencia.
The court ruling suggests Griezmann’s goal should never have stood since it was not clear whether the ball had crossed the line.
Espanyol had complained to the league’s Competition Committee, asking that the game be replayed, but that was turned down.
Spanish reports say Espanol may now ask for some kind of compensation for “irreparable damage”.
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