In the League debut at the Coliseum, against Getafe, the Riojan sent off Raphinha and Xavi
He is the third referee in the entire history of the League with whom Barça has a negative balance
Barça was able to complete another epic comeback in Los Cármenes like the one against Celta three days ago. In fact, Joao Félix scored 3-2 in the final stretch, but the goal was not added to the scoreboard due to a positional offside by Ferran Torres, who was at least six meters away from the ball.
César Soto Grado’s assistant considered that the one from Foios made an attempt to play the ball and interfered with the action of the goalkeeper and the defense. A consideration that the VAR ratified in an incomprehensible waysince Joao Cancelo’s center was clearly directed to the far post, for the arrival of Joao Félix, and Ferran Torres was headed more towards the near post.
In favor of Real Madrid it was a goal
In a similar action with Real Madrid as the protagonist, the goal ended up going up on the scoreboard. It was against Getafe. Joselu attacked the ball in an offside position and then, after a rebound, ended up scoring. Both Mario López Melero and José Luis Munuera Montero, from the VAR, considered that Joselu’s first action did not interfere with the resolution of the play.
Coincidence or not, César Soto Grado has been present in two of Barça’s three setbacks this season. It is not necessary to do any memory exercise to remember that the Rioja referee was the one who left Barça numerically inferior in the league premiere at the Coliseum, after a direct red card to Raphinha. A match in which he was very permissive with Getafe’s toughness and very rigorous with Xavi’s protests, whom he also ended up expelling. As a coincidence, yesterday in the VOR room there was a referee from Madrid, Carlos del Cerro Grande.
It is also curious that Barça has a negative balance with Soto Grado. Four losses, three draws and three victories. In the entire history of the League there are only two other referees with whom Barça has had a negative balance: the Andalusian José Luis Prados García: six defeats, one draw and two victories; and Juan Senén Acebal Pezón: four defeats, one draw and two victories.