The officiating of Alejandro Hernández Hernández in the El Clásico between Barcelona and Real Madrid has sparked outrage from the Merengues. Real Madrid appealed for a penalty after Eric García allegedly struck Jude Bellingham in the face with his elbow, but the referee waved play on.
Barcelona secured a 2-0 victory, clinching the La Liga title for the 29th time in their history.
Following the match, the specialized refereeing network “Archivo VAR” heavily criticized Hernández Hernández, giving him a poor rating of 4.5 out of 10. The network stated that he failed to manage the game as expected.
The network commented: “Standards: Hernández delivered an insufficient performance at the helm of the Barcelona vs. Real Madrid clash, committing a major error. Although he managed the match well and maintained control, he failed to spot a clear penalty committed by Eric García against Bellingham in the second half.”
It added: “Bookings: He showed six yellow cards, many resulting from altercations between players. He was forced to intervene on several occasions and did so with notable composure.”
The network continued: “Controversy: The most contentious incident occurred in the second half between Eric García and Bellingham inside the host’s penalty area. The Barcelona defender attempted to hold his position but extended his arm excessively, striking the English player in the face and causing him to fall. This action should have been punished, and referee Hernández Hernández should have immediately sanctioned the player. However, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) also declined to intervene.”