Barcelona star rejects idea Barcelona have benefitted from referees – ‘they took a league away from us’

Barcelona star Jordi Alba has become the latest player to dismiss the idea that they benefitted from refereeing decisions in their favour. Currently Barcelona stand accused of ‘continuous corruption’ by the Anti-Corruption department as a result of El Caso Negreira.

Various figures have defended both the titles that Barcelona have won during the period Negreira was being paid by the club (2001-2018), and the idea of justice on the pitch. Perhaps none more strongly than Ernesto Valverde, who was cutting with his response to the idea he was ‘gifted’ his first league title.

Speaking to Sport, Barcelona left-back Jordi Alba is the latest to rejected the idea.

“You can like a referee more or less, but I’ve never seen anything weird. I have never noticed that the referees have whistled in our favour.”

Alba went on to point out that Barcelona might have won La Liga in 2014 were it not for an incorrect offside call, which he felt was definitive evidene that referees were not working in their favour.

“They took a league from us. Against Atletico, the last game, a goal by Leo (Messi) was annulled for offside that was not. Atletico won the League with the draw. It was a cross, it bounced off a defender, it was not offside and our goal was disallowed. They took away a League from us.”

As it was, Atleti went on to draw 1-1 in that match, securing the La Liga title through Diego Godin header. Camp Nou had few qualms about it after the final whistle though, applauding Atletico Madrid at the final whistle.

Tags Atletico Madrid Barcelona Caso Negreira Jordi Alba
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