FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid: Fans furious as controversial VAR calls mar El Clasico

Barcelona's 4-3 El Clasico win was overshadowed by controversial refereeing decisions, particularly the disallowed goal by Fermin Lopez. 

Barcelona's 4-3 win over Real Madrid in El Clasico has propelled them to the cusp of clinching the La Liga title. However, the triumph was marred by controversy, with referee Alejandro José Hernández Hernández making several disputed calls.

The referee's contentious calls includes the disallowance of Fermin Lopez's goal. The decision sparked frustration among Barcelona players and fans, which has been exacerbated by the revelation of the audio communication between Hernandez and his VAR team.

According to Catalan outlet Cat3, the audio reveals that Hernandez deemed Aurelien Tchouameni's handball incident as not punishable, citing an "unnatural position" adopted by the player. However, the referee and his assistants failed to consider Fede Valverde's subsequent intervention, which could have legitimized Lopez's goal. Also there were other controversial refereeing decisions including a penalty call against Real Madrid, which wasn't allowed.

The controversy has added to Barcelona's growing concerns over VAR inconsistencies, following their contentious loss to Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League. Nevertheless, with the title within grasp, the focus has shifted to securing the championship.

Barcelona's next match is a derby against Espanyol, providing an opportunity to clinch the title on rival turf. Their final two matches are against Villarreal at home on May 18 and Athletic Club away on May 25. With a seven-point lead at the top of the table, Hansi Flick's side can secure the championship with just one more victory.