Betis-Barcelona RefCam audio: De Burgos' message to VAR and Lo Celso's disallowed goal

LaLiga has published the video with the most talked-about moments from the RefCam worn by Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea in the match between Real Betis and FC Barcelona. The spotlight is on Lo Celso's disallowed goal following a possible handball by Cucho Hernández, a decision that forced the Basque referee to consult with the VAR room while players from both teams gave him their views on the play.

• De Burgos Bengoetxea asks Carlos Del Cerro Grande to review the handball because it is what Barcelona's players are demanding.
• Barcelona players, led by Pedri and Rodri, insisted that Cucho Hernández' handball was punishable.
• Iturralde González criticizes the referee's message and calls it 'VAR on demand' on social media.
• Héctor Bellerín argues that the goal should stand because of its beauty, regardless of the rules.

The conversation between De Burgos Bengoetxea and the VAR over the Cucho handball

The video released by LaLiga clearly captures the exchange between the main referee and Carlos Del Cerro Grande, who was in charge of the VOR room during the game. De Burgos Bengoetxea addresses the video assistant referee with a direct request that has sparked plenty of debate: 'Check the handball for me, because that is what they are asking me for, Cerro.'

Iturralde González and his criticism of VAR on demand

That request from the Basque official did not go unnoticed by Iturralde González. The former international referee took to his account on X to express his disagreement with the way the review was handled, leaving a blunt message: 'We have just discovered VAR on demand. Check this for me because they are asking me to.'

The former official's stance is clear: the on-field referee should not ask the VAR to check a specific action just because the players ask him to. In his view, it is up to the VOR room to spot any potential irregularities and alert the referee if there is something punishable. The conversation between De Burgos Bengoetxea and Del Cerro Grande reopens the discussion about the communication protocols between the pitch and the video review room.

Barcelona players pile pressure on De Burgos

While the wait went on, several Barcelona players surrounded the referee to give their opinion on the incident. Pedri and Rodri were the most vocal: both argued that Cucho Hernández' handball was clearly punishable and that the goal had to be ruled out. De Burgos Bengoetxea, however, stuck to his initial impression and restated his position: 'It does not look punishable to me.'

Héctor Bellerín's argument: letting the goal stand for the good of football

In the middle of the wait, Héctor Bellerín appeared with an argument that had little to do with the rulebook. The Real Betis full-back approached the official and came up with an unusual idea to settle the situation: 'Just because of the goal he has scored, you have to let it stand. Just because of the goal he has scored, let it stand for the good of football.'

The defender's comment appealed to aesthetics rather than the laws of the game, and it is captured in the video as one of the more unusual moments of the night. Lo Celso's strike had lifted the Benito Villamarín, but the review ended with the effort chalked off and Betis-Barcelona heading toward the closing stages with the controversy still swirling.

RefCam offers a new window into refereeing in LaLiga

RefCam is one of the tools LaLiga has introduced to bring fans closer to the work of referees on the pitch. The footage offers a different perspective on situations that are usually only understood through television replays or through the audio released after each matchday.

In the case of Betis-Barcelona, the camera has made it possible to see up close how a controversial decision is built: the pressure from the players, the referee's doubts, the exchange with the VAR and the final interpretation of the incident. It is material that feeds both the refereeing debate and the broader story of a match that left plenty of talking points.