Former referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz has admitted that his controversial resolution within the ultimate match of the 2013-14 La Liga season value Barcelona the title.
The Valencian official incorrectly dominated out a purpose by Lionel Messi in a title-deciding contest in opposition to Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou, a mistake he now concedes was improper.
What occurred?
In Might 2014, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid confronted off in a title-deciding match at a packed Camp Nou. The Blaugrana, second within the desk with 86 factors, wanted a win to develop into champions, whereas Atleti, sitting on the high on 89 factors, solely required a draw.
Alexis Sanchez gave Barcelona the lead, however Diego Godin’s equaliser secured a 1-1 draw and handed the title to Los Rojiblancos.
Nevertheless, the sport’s most decisive second got here within the sixty fourth minute when Messi discovered the again of the web to make it 2-1 for Barcelona, just for it to be dominated out for offside.
The go to Messi had come from Dani Alves had come off a deflection from Atletico’s Juanfran, however Mateu Lahoz and his assistant believed it was from Cesc Fabregas, and flagged it for offside.
Lahoz admits to mistake
Now, over a decade later, Lahoz, now a pundit for Movistar and COPE, admitted to his error.
“I used to be improper. Trying again, we now know the ball got here off Juanfran,” he acknowledged, as quoted by .
“Barcelona and Atletico arrived on the ultimate match stage on nearly every thing, and that one resolution modified every thing.”
“From my place, I couldn’t inform,” Lahoz admitted. “I might have wager my twenty fingers – palms and ft – that Cesc touched the ball. The assistant took duty, however finally, it was my resolution.”
Barcelona by no means recovered from that second, and Atletico held on for the draw and lifted their first league title in 18 years.
Lahoz’s admission now confirms what many followers had lengthy suspected: one improper name value Barcelona a championship.