Xavi Hernandez outraged over no Goal Line technology in clash vs Real Madrid

Barcelona's La Liga title hopes suffered a major blow yesterday, with a narrow 3-2 defeat to Real Madrid. However, the result itself wasn't the only source of frustration for the giants. Manager Xavi Hernandez directed his anger towards La Liga's lack of goal-line technology following a contentious disallowed goal for young forward Lamine Yamal.

The pivotal moment occurred before halftime. Yamal unleashed a shot that appeared to cross the goal line, only to be denied by Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin. With no Goal Line Technology in place, the referee relied solely on the judgment of the assistant referee, who ruled the ball hadn't crossed the line entirely. VAR, though available in La Liga, couldn't conclusively overturn the decision due to the absence of concrete evidence.

"It a disgrace, I don't have words!"

This call infuriated Xavi. He and goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen slammed La Liga for failing to adopt GLT, calling it a "disgrace". "It's a disgrace. If we want to be the best league in the world we have to advance in this sense, you have to put in the technology," Xavi said. Marc-Andre ter Stegen agreed with his coach, calling it a shame. "It's shameful for football, I don't have the words. There's so much money in this world and there's no money for what's most important," he said.

Barcelona has a strong case as most top European leagues, including England's Premier League, Italy's Serie A, and Germany's Bundesliga, have embraced the technology. These leagues view it as a vital tool for fair play, minimizing officiating errors in high-stakes matches. La Liga, however, has remained hesitant. Concerns regarding implementation costs, potential disruptions to the game's flow, and the preservation of the human element in officiating have delayed the adoption of the same.

The debate surrounding the technology goes beyond a single disallowed goal. Proponents advocate for technology's ability to definitively settle close calls, leading to fairer results and reducing post-match controversies. They cite instances where goals were incorrectly awarded or disallowed, potentially impacting the outcome of matches and titles.