The goal, scored by midfielder Carlos Dotor from a cross, was invalidated for alleged offside. The controversy intensified upon revelation that the VAR lines were drawn manually from the VOR room due to a dysfunction in the semi-automatic system, a method the RFEF (Royal Spanish Football Federation) boasts about.
The federation stated that the "checking and validation procedure was correct and, appropriately, the cancellation of the goal scored by the visiting team was confirmed." However, this explanation has not appeased the Málaga club.
The Málaga coach expressed his bewilderment in a press conference, stating he did not understand the decision, as they were initially told it "could have been a goal" and later "they couldn't say." The frustration extends to the locker room, where captain Ramón lamented the lack of communication: "The worst part is they don't tell you anything. They make decisions, bad decisions. The worst is that nothing is communicated to us, neither on the field nor afterwards. We have to make our own assumptions. It's lamentable."
