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Barcelona's grievance with a refereeing decision from 2014 has finally gotten closure after the referee involved admitted he was wrong
Over a decade after one of the most controversial moments in LaLiga history, former referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz has finally admitted to making a crucial mistake that cost Barcelona the 2013-14 league title.
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The Spaniard, who officiated the decisive final match between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid on the final day, incorrectly disallowed a goal from Lionel Messi, ultimately handing Diego Simeone’s side their first league title in 18 years.
Lahoz’ offside blunder
On May 17, 2014 at the Camp Nou Barcelona took on Atletico Madrid in a winner-takes-all showdown for the LaLiga title.
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The Blaugrana, sitting in second place with 86 points, needed a win to reclaim the LaLiga crown, while Atletico Madrid, leading the table with 89 points, only required a draw to secure the championship.
Chilean forward Alexis Sánchez fired Barcelona into the lead, only for Diego Godín’s towering header to level the scoreline at 1-1.
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But the real turning point came in the 64th minute when Lionel Messi smashed the ball into the net, sending the Camp Nou into wild celebrations, only for Mateu Lahoz to rule it out for offside.
Replays later showed that the ball had deflected off Atletico defender Juanfran, not Cesc Fabregas, as Lahoz and his assistant originally believed. Had the goal stood, Barcelona would have been on course to win the title, but instead, Atleti held on for the draw and walked away with the trophy.
Lahoz finally admits his mistake
For years, Barcelona fans had pointed to that offside call as the moment that robbed them of a league title, and now, Antonio Mateu Lahoz himself has confirmed their worst fears.
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Speaking on Movistar and COPE, the retired referee admitted that he got it wrong, saying, "I was wrong. Looking back, we now know the ball came off Juanfran.”
He explained that from his vantage point, he was convinced that Cesc Fabregas had touched the ball, and his assistant, who raised the flag, took responsibility for the decision.
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He added, "From my position, I could not tell. I would have bet my twenty fingers – hands and feet – that Cesc touched the ball. The assistant took responsibility, but ultimately, it was my decision."
That one mistake meant Barcelona never recovered during the match, while Atletico Madrid celebrated their first LaLiga title since 1996.
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