Incident date: 2026-02-16 (CTA review reported in the last 48 hours)
In the 86th minute of a 1–1 game, Claudio Echeverri challenged for a loose ball with Jules Koundé. Replays show Echeverri’s studs coming down on Koundé’s foot/ankle area just before Girona recycled possession and created the attack that ended with Fran Beltrán’s winner for 2–1.
Despite the contact happening in the build-up to the goal, VAR did not recommend an on-field review. In a rare moment of transparency, Spain’s refereeing committee (CTA) reportedly acknowledged afterward that VAR should have intervened, describing it as a “clear and obvious” missed foul in the goal-scoring phase.
Decision: Goal Stood.
Our Rating: ❌ Incorrect Decision.
Under the goal-scoring phase principles, a clear foul in the immediate build-up should lead to the goal being disallowed. The controversy here isn’t just the contact — it’s that the incident appears reviewable, yet the review never happened, which is exactly what the CTA feedback reportedly criticized.
