FC Barcelona hereby wishes to formally express its concern and dissatisfaction regarding several refereeing decisions that took place during the European Rink Hockey Champions League Final held in Coimbra (Portugal) on 10 May, as well as the criteria applied in certain interventions by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system throughout the match.

Our Club has always stood for the fundamental values of institutional respect, sportsmanship, and the integrity of European competitions. Precisely for this reason, we firmly believe that a continental final must meet the highest standards of rigor, consistency, and fairness in all aspects surrounding the match, particularly those directly impacting competitive balance.

In this context, we consider that certain decisions taken during the match generated a clear perception of imbalance and had a significant impact at key moments of the final. Furthermore, we believe it is necessary to initiate a broader reflection on the use and application criteria of the VAR system, whose purpose should be to provide clarity, consistency, and reliability in refereeing decisions.

FC Barcelona fully acknowledges the complexity of refereeing duties and the inherent difficulty of decision-making in high-level matches. However, we also believe that the scale and prestige of European competitions require mechanisms that ensure maximum transparency and prevent situations that may give rise to doubts among clubs, athletes, and supporters alike.

For these reasons, we respectfully request that World Skate Europe carry out a thorough review of the most controversial incidents of the match, as well as an evaluation of the refereeing and technological protocols applied during the final, with the aim of further strengthening the credibility and reputation of our competitions.

FC Barcelona remains fully committed to competing with the responsibility, respect, and integrity that have always characterized our institution, while at the same time safeguarding the legitimate interests of our team and all members of our Club.

 

 

Força Barça