The Spanish Football Federation [RFEF] have filed a report with the police after extracts of the VAR audio from Real Madrid’s 3-2 win over Almería were leaked.
Journalist Gerard Romero released conversations between referee Francisco José Hernández Maeso and the VAR official Alejandro Hernández Hernández in which they discussed possible acts of aggression by Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior and Almeria’s Chumi.
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Neither interaction led to Hernández Maeso reversing his original on-field decision or re-watching the incidents on the pitch-side monitor.
If Hernández Maeso had been sent to the monitor, the RFEF would themselves have released the audio as part of a new initiative brought in last month.
However, the clips that have been filtered are moments in the game when the screen was not used, unlike in the decisions that led to Madrid’s first two goals and a disallowed Almería strike in the second half.
“On Tuesday, we filed a report with the Guardia Civil [the Spanish police] after the publication of audios from the VAR system, which are of a completely private and professional scope, relating to the LaLiga match between Real Madrid and Almería,” the RFEF said in a statement.
“We have also opened an internal investigation and consider the aforementioned infraction extremely serious. We hope that a response will be found as soon as possible to clarify who is responsible.
“Meanwhile, all necessary measures will be taken to ensure the security of all RFEF communications.”
In the first conversation released by Romero, Hernández Maeso and Hernández Hernández discuss an incident where Vinícius appears to catch Alejandro Pozo in the face with his elbow, but they conclude there is not enough there for VAR to intervene.
In the second, they look at a clash between Chumi and Madrid’s Dani Ceballos, who dropped to the ground after the clash, but they decide that the on-pitch decision not to award anything should stand.
On neither occasion was the referee summoned to look at the screen, as was the case at three other moments in the second half as Madrid came back from 2-0 down to win 3-2.
After watching replays, Hernández Maeso gave Madrid a penalty for handball; ruled out an Almería goal for a foul in the build-up by Dion Lopy on Jude Bellingham; and awarded Vinícius’ equaliser which was scored with his upper arm, ruling the contact was high enough to grant the goal. All three decisions had gone the other way at first.
Madrid went on to win the game through a 99th minute goal from Dani Carvajal to remain within one point of LaLiga leaders Girona with a game in hand.
The RFEF and LaLiga first announced in December that conversations between referees and the VAR would be made public as part of a new agreement between the two bodies.
As a result, discussions that take place between officials when an incident has been reviewed using the pitch-side monitor are made available to broadcasters after the end of each day.