Controversial Call: Hernandez Hernandez Reflects on Barca’s Unjust 1 -1 Draw Against Real Betis in 2017

The infamous 1-1 draw between Barcelona and Real Betis on January 29, 2017, remains etched in memory, and the blame for the controversial outcome falls squarely on referee Hernandez Hernandez.

During the match, Luis Suarez found the net in the second half with what seemed to be a clear goal. However, Hernandez Hernandez, the La Liga official, disagreed and chose not to award the goal. Additionally, a blatant foul on Neymar in the box went unnoticed, denying Barcelona a clear penalty. The repercussions were significant, as Barcelona eventually lost the 2016/2017 league title to bitter rivals Real Madrid by a mere three points.

Six years later, Hernandez Hernandez addressed the contentious incident in an interview with COPE. He admitted, “It was a blatant mistake, but I can explain: there were 3 players standing in front of me blocking my view. I challenge anyone who stands on the edge of the penalty area and can see if the ball entered while it was in the air.”

He continued, “There was possibly a penalty kick for Neymar as well, which I couldn’t see. In other words, there are two possibilities to make a decision in favor of Barcelona. All of this happened during the Negreira era. If there was bias then, what happened there?” The referee’s retrospective insight sheds light on the challenges he faced in making crucial decisions during the match, raising questions about the impact of obstructed views and potential missed penalties on the final outcome.