Barcelona saw their 11-match winning run end on Sunday in La Liga, losing 2-1 to Real Sociedad at home, and the refereeing decisions quickly became the main talking point.
Barça controlled large parts of the match, hit the crossbar four times and saw three goals ruled out. Results matter, but refereeing often shapes how defeats get remembered.
The first flashpoint came in the first half when the referee disallowed Lamine Yamal’s goal for offside. The call felt tight and immediately unsettled Barcelona’s players.
As captain on the pitch, Frenkie de Jong tried to speak to referee Jesús Gil Manzano. He left the exchange frustrated rather than informed.
“It was given as offside, offside. I didn’t see it, but they told me it wasn’t offside,” De Jong said. That uncertainty fuelled his anger more than the decision itself.
He pointed at what bothered him most. “You couldn’t even talk to the referee. I didn’t understand it at all. I’m the captain.” Captains expect dialogue, not dismissal.
De Jong felt the referee’s attitude crossed a line. “I tried to speak to him and he looked at me as if he knew better than me. It’s very frustrating. It’s unbelievable.” His words carried disbelief rather than theatrics.
Stoppage time brought fresh controversy. De Jong claimed Real Sociedad wasted time but the referee refused to extend play.
“I asked the referee to look at the time,” he said. “They took a minute on throw-ins and goal-kicks. That’s normal, but not adding even ten more seconds is strange.” The whistle came quickly.
De Jong said the discussion ended badly. “I told the referee about it and he booked me. You can’t talk to this referee.” That moment summed up his night.
Hansi Flick rarely criticises officials, but he backed his midfielder. “I heard what Frenkie said and he’s right,” Flick said. His support mattered.
The Barcelona coach chose restraint over rage. “I don’t want to waste energy on this referee. Everyone saw his performance on TV and in the stadium.” Acceptance replaced protest.
Asked directly about arrogance, Flick stayed careful. “Everyone knows the situation. We have good referees in La Liga, but Frenkie is right. It wasn’t nice.” The message landed softly but clearly.
Despite the defeat, Flick focused on performance. “I’m not happy because we lost, but the way we played is how I want us to play.” Barcelona left frustrated, not fearful.
The table still favours them. The questions, however, now circle the referee.
