Barcelona star Pedri has blasted La Liga after VAR malfunctions overshadowed his side’s 1-1 draw against Rayo Vallecano, urging the league to “be much more serious” in handling officiating technology.
The Catalan giants saw their unbeaten start to the season disrupted in Madrid last weekend, where technical failures left players and referees uncertain over whether VAR was available during the match. At different points, captains were told the system was working, then not, sparking confusion across both teams.
Speaking to Onda Cero, Pedri voiced his frustration at the disarray:
“At first they said there was no VAR, halfway through the match they said there was, then they said there wasn’t… You didn’t know when VAR was on. It’s strange. It’s the first match I’ve seen where VAR didn’t work and I think it needs to be improved so that La Liga can be much more serious. The referee would tell the captains whether there was VAR or not and Frenkie [de Jong] would tell us.”
Barcelona have already expressed concerns in the past about inconsistent refereeing, and Pedri’s public criticism highlights a growing lack of trust in the league’s ability to manage one of football’s most important tools. Dropped points in matches like this could prove costly for Flick’s side in the title race.
The 22-year-old midfielder will now shift focus to international duty, joining up with Spain ahead of crucial fixtures against Bulgaria and Turkey. With Hansi Flick continuing to rely on Pedri’s midfield vision and intelligence, he is expected to play a central role for both club and country in the weeks ahead.
