The controversy broke out in Los Cármenes on the brink of halftime. No one at Atlético de Madrid knows why referee Hernández Hernández annulled João Félix’s header.
The Portuguese jumped over the Granada player, Luis Suárez, and scored that it was 1-2 on the scoreboard but the referee annulled the goal due to the lack of the rojiblanco striker. Iturralde González, an analyst at AS and Carrusel Deportivo de la SER, did not see any infraction by João Félix. “It’s a legal goal. A great goal. If this is a foul, the other day at Sevilla-Atlético when Delaney jumped over Koke … The problem is that you have to look for referee consistency, that’s what I ask of Medina Cantalejo. It cannot be one day, no, and the next, with less, yes. “Iturralde insists on analyzing the play:”The Granada player, when he sees that his back is caught, runs back to block João Félix’s jump. He is the one who throws himself towards the Atlético player, but João jumps stronger. Of course there is contact but there is no lack. It is a play of goal or no goal. I am not talking about other types of plays but for the most important one, which is a goal, I would open a debate. Why doesn’t the VAR referee tell you? ‘Hey, what you have seen does not correspond to what is seen on the screen; Come and see her'”.
The Atlético players continued with their protests to the referee after whistling for half-time. João Félix and captain Koke did not give credit for the cancellation of the goal and asked Hernández Hernández for explanations.
The VAR conceded the second goal to Granada
Granada’s second goal was annulled for the first time for offside by Jorge Molina, but the VAR rectified Hernández Hernández’s decision assisted by the linesman. The forward was in legal position. Goalkeeper Oblak also claimed a foul from Jorge Molina in his intention to score a goal. For Iturralde González, there are already more doubts: “He may be called a foul, because he does not touch the ball and it hits Oblak, but it is not a VAR play.”
Atlético also claimed a violation by Luis Milla against Cunha in the 83rd minute on the edge of Granada’s area. Hernández Hernández whistled a foul in favor of the Nasrid but it is Milla who “puts her leg when Cunha is going to shoot. It is a foul but outside the area”, Iturralde González explained in Sports Carousel. Simeone from the bench requested even a penalty in his favor.