‘Roja, roja, roja!’: Spanish Super Cup VAR’s reaction to Frenkie de Jong foul sparks fury among Barcelona fans

It is hardly uncommon for supporters to believe match officials have got it in for their team. 

When it comes to Frenkie de Jong’s dismissal for a horribly misjudged tackle on Kylian Mbappé late in Sunday’s Supercopa de España final against Real Madrid, however, Barcelona fans could be forgiven for feeling they have a point.

The flashpoint occurred a minute into stoppage time at the Alinma Bank Stadium in Kuwait as Mbappé, making his first appearance since suffering a sprain to his left knee, attempted to carry the ball upfield after dispossessing Lamine Yamal. Lunging in with his studs up, De Jong clattered the France international just below his injured knee, sending the Madrid forward sprawling. 

Spanish referee José Luis Munuera Montero instantly punished the Netherlands midfielder with a straight red card. But while the fairness of the decision was not in doubt, it was the hysterical reaction of a match official that raised eyebrows among the Barca faithful.

‘Roja!’: how Spanish Super Cup VAR infuriated Barcelona fans

“Roja, roja, roja!” – “Red, red, red!” – the official, possibly the video assistant referee, can be heard yelling in audio footage before adding: “He hit him high on the shin.” The unusually impassioned nature of the outburst prompted a sceptical reaction among Barcelona supporters, who immediately took to social media to voice their suspicions.

“It was a red card, but that doesn’t justify the referee’s emotion in asking for the red card,” wrote one user beneath a Reddit video of the incident.  

“They’re wearing Real Madrid shirts underneath,” remarked another commenter, while a third observed wryly: “More Madrid fans than the Bernabéu.”

The Royal Spanish Football Federation released footage of the incident, filmed from Munuera Montero’s perspective, in which the referee’s exchange with De Jong can be heard.

‘You got yourself a red card, Frenkie’

“You committed the foul, you got yourself a red card, Frenkie,” says the referee. “You went in studs up, very clear. 

When the midfielder attempts to protest that he “didn’t go in hard”, Munuera Montero replies unequivocally: “The red card is confirmed.”

De Jong’s dismissal did not prevent Barcelona from going on to win by the odd goal in five, three of which controversially came in first-half stoppage time. Vinícius Júnior struck to cancel out Raphinha’s opener for Barca, before Robert Lewandowski’s reply was in turn answered by Madrid forward Gonzalo García – six minutes into what was originally three minutes of added time.

Amid complaints from both teams, Munuera Montero explained: “Each goal adds one more minute.”

In the 76th minute, Raphinha scored his seventh goal in five games to decide the contest, giving Barcelona a 10th straight win and second successive Supercopa de España victory.