The refereeing tension during the match between Rayo Vallecano and Barça has also had an immediate response off the field. The controversial decision by Busquets Ferrer to award a penalty to Lamine Yamal without the possibility of review due to a VAR malfunction has ignited public conversation. Alfredo Duro has joined this trend, posting a message full of accusations on his social media and reopening the debate about the championship's credibility.
An incendiary message against Spanish competition
The sports commentator, known for his vehement interventions, described the competition as "the most rotten and disgusting league in the world". In his message, he directly pointed to the so-called "Negreira case" and "the mafia," claiming that they always win. The tone of his words reflects a climate of outrage that goes beyond the specific play in Vallecas.
Alfredo Duro thus placed himself among the most extreme critics of refereeing management in Spanish soccer, linking what happened to the lack of transparency that the competition drags along.
The impact of the technical failure on public perception
The trigger was the failure in the VAR system, which rendered the video review screen in Vallecas inoperative. Without the possibility of reviewing the play, the initial decision to award the penalty was kept. That technical error has multiplied suspicions and fueled the narrative of manipulation that some media sectors spread intensely. Although play analysts agree that Lamine Yamal's action on Chavarría didn't seem punishable, the converted goal opened the door to discourses like Alfredo Duro's.
A recurring accusation that reflects the tension in the environment
The episode isn't isolated, but rather part of a dynamic of growing distrust toward the competition. Alfredo Duro, like other critical commentators, frequently resorts to the idea of conspiracy as an explanation for controversial decisions. His reaction in this case reinforces that line of argument and highlights how much Spanish soccer lives with a climate of permanent suspicion. His words reflect the tension of a media environment where every refereeing error is magnified.
The penalty in Vallecas has once again placed the refereeing system at the center of the debate and has provided ammunition to the most conspiratorial discourses. Alfredo Duro's statements show how a technical error can become a catalyst for much broader narratives, in a championship that seems doomed to live amid recurring controversies and doubts about its credibility.