The match between Mallorca and Barça was marked by a first half full of incidents and controversial refereeing decisions. Beyond the goals and the tension in the stands, the most talked-about play came with Vedat Muriqi's violent challenge on goalkeeper Joan García. This action could have changed the course of the match and ended up being decided by VAR.
A reckless challenge that left consequences for the goalkeeper
In the 39th minute, Muriqi went to contest an aerial ball inside the box, but his action turned out to be extremely dangerous. The Kosovar forward raised his leg to the height of Joan García's head and struck him in the face with his studs. The image of the kick is striking, and the cameras even captured the mark left on the goalkeeper's face.
Munuera Montero changed his decision after reviewing the monitor
The main referee, José Luis Munuera Montero, initially called the foul and showed Muriqi a yellow card. However, the decision changed when VAR, led by Figueroa Vázquez, intervened to recommend a review. After going to the monitor and watching the play again, Munuera didn't hesitate to correct himself and showed a straight red card. The decision left Mallorca with nine players, just six minutes after Manu Morlanes was sent off for a second yellow card.
Archivo VAR clarifies the play on social media
The specialized account Archivo VAR analyzed the play on social media and was blunt: “Muriqi, who doesn't reach the ball, puts his studs at Joan García's neck level. It's a straight red card”. The comment reinforces the idea that the sending-off was inevitable, even though the referee's initial decision didn't reflect the true seriousness of the challenge. The tweet quickly went viral and helped fuel a debate that was already heated after the second Barça goal.
With two footballers down and the score against them, Jagoba Arrasate's team found themselves in a very difficult situation. Even so, the Balearic team held on for much of the second half, until Lamine Yamal sealed the result in added time. The home side's effort was recognized by the crowd, although the atmosphere remained full of indignation over the refereeing decisions.
The image of Joan García, symbol of a tough match
The young Barça goalkeeper, who had already suffered a dislocated finger during the warm-up, finished the first half with the mark of the kick on his face. His resilience, playing with protection on his hand and enduring such a heavy blow, reinforced the feeling that the match had been much more than just a simple league debut.
Muriqi's sending-off will remain one of the most memorable plays of this opening matchday. A reckless action that VAR turned into the main talking point of the start of LaLiga 2025/26.