Villarreal manager fumes at referee decisions in Barcelona defeat

Originally posted on Football Espana | By John Menzies | Last updated Dec 21, 2025 6:14 PM ET

Villarreal saw their six-match winning run in La Liga end on Sunday, as Barcelona secured a 2-0 victory at La Ceramica. It was a frustrating afternoon for the home side, who were soundly beaten after being reduced to 10 men in the first half.

As per Diario AS, head coach Marcelino Garcia Toral gave his reaction to the match, as he made it clear that his side were in the game despite their man disadvantage.

“We all agree. A great Villareal, huge. To beat Barcelona you have to take advantage of the chances. Today it was more in our favour than last year. In a second play the penalty comes. I don’t know what the difference is between the penalty and the one in which Joan Garcia gets up and shoots Rafa Marín. Our chances were clearer, beyond the penalty and a crossbar from Raphinha. Barcelona’s most decisive player was the goalkeeper.”

Marcelino also hammered home his opinion that a penalty should have been awarded to his side.

“Rafa’s action is a penalty. Our player goes for the ball, gets up and knocks him down. I respect any other opinion but for me it’s a penalty. The more I see it, the more penalty it seems to me.”

Marcelino: Red card was “an avoidable mistake”

Marcelino also commented to the red card shown to Renato Veiga for a challenge on Lamine Yamal.

“We made an avoidable mistake, which is the red card. I said to the referee: ‘What happens if he gets a yellow card and then goes to the VAR?’ He told me that he had seen it very clearly. For me it has been excess of force. For me it is not expulsion… Well, seeing it on another camera, maybe yes. He goes at ground level. In football you have to live in the moments. There is no twisting of the ankle. With the beautiful show we were seeing, to leave a team with ten…”.

This article first appeared on Football Espana and was syndicated with permission.

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