42 goals for Real Madrid against 19 for Barcelona: VAR figures raise the most alarming question of all, who has been the beneficiary?
Since the technology was introduced
Real Madrid top the list of clubs who have had the most goals ruled out by the video assistant referee (VAR) in La Liga since the system was officially introduced in the 2018-2019 season. Their tally of disallowed goals stands at 42. That leaves them miles clear of Atletico Madrid and Villarreal, who share second place with 22 each, while Barcelona sit seventh on 19.
Statistics published by Spaniard Alexis Martin Tamayo, known as "Mister Chip", via his account on the "X" platform, put Real Madrid 20 goals ahead of Atletico Madrid and Villarreal, and 23 clear of rivals Barcelona. The list tracks goals initially awarded by the main referee before video technology intervened to disallow them because of infringements during the scoring process.
The Vinicius and Salibur incident brings the numbers back into focus
Those numbers came flooding back during Real Madrid's meeting with Villarreal, when a goal for the Royal club was ruled out following a video technology review. Vinicius Junior had fouled Villarreal defender Nathan Salibur, pulling his hair seconds before what would have been Real Madrid's second of the match.
Referee Isidro Diaz de Mera, who belongs to the La Mancha region, missed the infringement and gave the goal. Then video assistant referee Alejandro Muniz Ruiz, who belongs to the Galicia region, intervened and asked for the passage to be reviewed. Diaz de Mera reversed his decision and disallowed the goal after confirming that the foul had taken place.
42 goals for Real Madrid since the introduction of video technology
Since the video assistant referee technology came into effect in La Liga in the 2018-2019 season, the system has ruled out 42 goals for Real Madrid after the referee on the pitch had initially awarded them. That works out at close to five goals per season, according to the published data.
Those 42 goals would have stood in favour of the Royal club had the matches continued without the intervention of video technology, according to the hypothetical scenario on which the statistic is based. No other club comes close.
Atletico Madrid and Villarreal come second, having each had 22 goals ruled out, roughly half the number disallowed for Real Madrid. Celta Vigo, Real Sociedad and Sevilla occupy the following position with 20 each.
Barcelona came seventh after video technology ruled out 19 of their goals during the period covered by the statistic. The gap between them and Real Madrid is 23 goals, leaving the Royal club top of this ranking by a wide margin over their traditional rivals.
What if video technology had been absent from La Liga?
The statistic offers a hypothetical picture of what could have happened had La Liga matches continued without video technology between 2018 and 2026. Real Madrid would have benefited from around 4.6 illegal goals being awarded per season, compared with 2.1 goals for Barcelona.
Atletico Madrid and Villarreal would each have benefited from around 2.4 illegal goals being awarded per season under the same calculations, while the rate would have stood at 2.2 goals for each of Celta Vigo, Real Sociedad and Sevilla.
