Edu Aguirre, Very Angry with the Referees, Can't Take It Anymore and Explodes: 'Soccer Of...'

One of the most controversial actions of matchday 32 of the current league season occurred in the FC Barcelona-Celta de Vigo match, held at the Montjuïc Olympic Stadium. Pablo Durán, the Celta player, had taken control of a long ball that caught FC Barcelona's defense off guard: only Íñigo Martínez had a chance to stop his run.

The blaugrana '5' managed it, but many believe that the resolution of that action deserved a foul and a direct red card for the Basque center-back. Pablo Durán had surpassed all the Barça defenders, and Íñigo Martínez was the only defender close to the action: it was a clear goal-scoring opportunity abruptly interrupted.

After analyzing that play that occurred last Saturday, Edu Aguirre arrived at 'El Chiringuito de Jugones' with a very firm opinion about what happened in the Catalan city. "I'm telling you honestly, it's very serious that three of the best referees in this country are sending" a message with which he disagrees. The panelist argues that the recipients are "many active footballers, who watch us, who if they don't exaggerate or fake, it doesn't get called", a verdict based on that play.

Edu Aguirre argues that the only way to read the action between Íñigo Martínez and Pablo Durán is "there's a clear foul here. And if the Celta player had gone down, trying to deceive or exaggerate, you three would say it's a clear red". With those words, Edu Aguirre directly challenges the criteria of the referees invited by 'El Chiringuito de Jugones' each matchday: Rafael Guerrero, Pajares Paz, and Urizar Azpitarte.

The Controversy Continues

In addition to pointing out that difference that in his opinion would occur in the analysis of this action, Edu Aguirre believes that "no one, no player, is brought down by that touch". Not even in a clear danger action like the one led by Pablo Durán in the last FC Barcelona match. The panelist reveals that "we're used to players being touched a little and going down", a situation that wouldn't align with reality.

Because "if you're walking down the street and I touch you, you don't go down. Do we want to exaggerate, do we want to go to a fake soccer, a soccer of deceiving the referee?", Edu Aguirre asks in light of the play between Pablo Durán and Íñigo Martínez. The panelist argues that he finds it "very heavy" what happened in the match between FC Barcelona and Celta de Vigo.

The difference in criteria highlighted by Edu Aguirre, in his particular analysis of this play, is one of the longest debates regarding referees. The difference in decisions by the referees in our country causes constant protests from all clubs, matchday after matchday, regardless of whether they face Real Madrid.

Once again, Melero López's decision extends a debate that saw a new chapter at Santiago Bernabéu. The possible penalty on Jude Bellingham, which Martínez Munuera and Cordero Vega didn't call, is another change from the criteria shown in previous occasions regarding fouls in the opponent's area.