La Liga matchday 24 has been overshadowed by a series of refereeing controversies, with ArchivoVAR issuing damning assessments of several officials across the fixtures played between February 13 and 16. The specialist refereeing analysis platform highlighted poor decision-making in multiple matches, reigniting the debate over officiating standards in Spanish football and the effectiveness of the Video Assistant Referee system.
The most chaotic fixture of the round took place at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan, where Sevilla and Alaves played out a turbulent 1-1 draw under the watch of referee Galech Apezteguia. The match descended into disorder as the official issued three red cards throughout the ninety minutes, with his overall performance described as lamentable by multiple Spanish media outlets. Critics argued that Galech Apezteguia lost control of the match early and failed to apply consistent criteria, leading to frustration from both sets of players and coaching staff.
At the Santiago Bernabeu, referee Hernandez Maeso found himself at the center of a different kind of dispute during Real Madrid's 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad. A penalty awarded to Vinicius Junior drew significant criticism, with analysts questioning whether sufficient contact had occurred to justify the decision. The Brazilian forward's reputation for winning contentious penalties has become a recurring theme in La Liga coverage this season, and this latest incident only added fuel to the ongoing debate surrounding his conduct inside the area.
Elsewhere on the fixture calendar, referee Sesma oversaw Getafe's 2-1 win against Villarreal, a match decided by a VAR-awarded penalty that left the visiting side incensed. Cuadra Fernandez took charge of the 2-2 draw between Espanyol and Celta de Vigo, a match that also featured several contentious decisions, while Sanchez Martinez refereed the goalless stalemate between Elche and Osasuna without major incident.
The wave of controversies has prompted renewed calls from clubs, pundits, and supporters for greater transparency in refereeing appointments and VAR protocols. The Spanish Football Federation's Referees Committee has faced mounting pressure throughout the 2025-2026 season to address perceived inconsistencies in officiating standards. With several more matchday 24 fixtures still to be played over the weekend, attention will remain firmly fixed on how officials handle the remaining encounters and whether further flashpoints emerge before the round concludes.
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