Even Fouto is stunned by Munuera, he delivers his verdict on the Mallorca-Barça refereeing: 'Useless'

The first matchday of LaLiga 2025/26 began with controversy. The Mallorca-Barça match sparked an intense debate after the second goal by the Catalans, scored by Ferran Torres. The play happened while Antonio Raíllo was on the ground after a powerful ball hit.

Isaac Fouto didn't hesitate to describe the play as "useless" for making things difficult: "It's an avoidable mistake", he stated. He added that, live, the goal could have been handled differently: "A lot of time passed from the ball hit to Raíllo until Barça scored. Barça's players were standing still," he explained.

Munera's refereeing under scrutiny

Referee José Luis Munuera Montero validated the goal. He then justified his decision to Jagoba Arrasate, assuring him that Raíllo wasn't dizzy. Despite the explanation, the atmosphere became tense and led to two Mallorca players being sent off before halftime.

Paco González pointed out Munuera's gestures as the most surprising: "He brings the whistle to his mouth saying "I have to stop" and lets the play continue. That's inexplicable," he said. Roberto Palomar and Mónica Marchante agreed that the refereeing confusion was worsened by his attitude.

Fouto highlighted that the referee's initial reaction may be instinctive, but insisted that the decision was unnecessary. "It's the most useless play to make things difficult for yourself in a match that could go well," he stated. According to the analyst, stopping the game would have avoided a conflict that now dominates the start of the league.

Reactions and consequences

From Barça's bench, Hansi Flick celebrated the victory without getting into controversies. Meanwhile, at Mallorca complaints were immediate. Raíllo showed his outrage, recalling that the rules are clear and that the referee should have stopped the game due to the risk of concussion.

The controversy has marked the start of the season. Critical voices, such as Emilio Pérez de Rozas on COPE, have questioned the refereeing criteria. The play has already become a topic of debate in talk shows and on social media.

What should have been a calm start for LaLiga turned into a test for refereeing. As Fouto summed up: "It's a play where in the end you make things difficult for yourself out of nowhere." Ferran Torres's goal and Munuera's actions will continue to be discussed in the coming weeks.