Referee César Soto Grado, in charge of officiating the classic with Sánchez Martínez in the VAR, did not validate Lamine Yamal's goal, stopped by Andriy Lunin, as there was "no evidence" that the ball had entered. He had to explain to players like Ilkay Gündogan that goal-line technology is not used in Spanish football.

"For me, it doesn't go all the way in, it's a corner. Let's check it, César," was the referee's first conversation with the VAR about Yamal's ghost goal that has sparked controversy and even led Barcelona to request a rematch at the Santiago Bernabéu, as announced by their president Joan Laporta.

In the audios published by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Soto Grado's explanation to Gündogan during his protest is heard: "There is no goal-line technology, we're waiting for the VAR in case it was a goal, okay? We're reviewing because there is no goal-line technology."

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The VAR requested the available images at the moment the ball hit Lunin's gloves. "We're rotating 360 because we don't have it. The body is blocking us, we keep looking," they transmitted to the referee before ruling out the five replays they had to assess the play.

"We're not in a hurry, it's a very important decision. It's best to wait," Soto Grado communicated to his assistants. "We don't have anything else. César, let's resume with a corner kick because we have no evidence that the ball went in," was the definitive response from the VAR.

In other actions of the classic, Soto Grado was decisive in his decisions and conversations with the players. "There's nothing at the far post. He's just supporting him a bit to finish, that's it," he said on the first goal of the match without seeing a foul by Andreas Christensen on Toni Kroos.

He also saw Pau Cubarsí's penalty on Lucas Vázquez as clear. "Tripped," he repeated several times to the Barcelona players who protested the action. "I think it's clear, on the other side it's the same," he told Joao Cancelo.

"Lamine, I'll call the ones that are fouls, but don't go to ground so easily," he scolded Lamine Yamal after a foul punished with a yellow card for Eduardo Camavinga.

Soto Grado explained to Antonio Rüdiger why Barcelona's second goal was legal: "All good, it's a goal, there's no offside position from Ferran. It doesn't matter if he bothers."