Barcelona have received clarification from Spain’s Technical Committee of Referees CTA following two controversial incidents involving João Cancelo and Alejandro Balde during their 2-1 El Clásico defeat to Real Madrid.

According to a report by Barca Universal on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, the refereeing body reviewed both incidents during its weekly Tiempo de Revisión programme and concluded that the decision not to award Real Madrid a penalty for Balde’s handball was correct. However, it ruled that Cancelo should have received a yellow card for his challenge on Yan Diomande.

Real Madrid secured victory through a brace from Kylian Mbappé, but the match sparked debate over several refereeing decisions at the Spotify Camp Nou.

The first incident involved Balde, whose arm made contact with the ball inside Barcelona’s penalty area. Real Madrid players appealed for a penalty, but referee Martinez Munuera allowed play to continue.

Following a review of the footage, the CTA supported the referee’s decision, explaining that the contact was accidental and Balde’s arm was in a natural position. The committee therefore concluded that the incident did not constitute a punishable handball offence.

However, the assessment of Cancelo’s challenge produced a different conclusion.

The Barcelona defender caught Real Madrid winger Yan Diomande on the calf with his studs during the second half. The incident sparked protests from Madrid players, who believed Cancelo deserved a straight red card.

Although the CTA agreed that the challenge was reckless, it determined that the defender had not used excessive force or displayed the level of brutality required to justify a dismissal.

Nevertheless, the committee maintained that Cancelo should have been cautioned with a yellow card for the challenge.

The refereeing body also explained that VAR was correct not to intervene because the incident did not meet the threshold for a straight red card.

The review therefore produced mixed conclusions for Real Madrid. While the committee confirmed that their penalty appeal against Balde was correctly rejected, it acknowledged that Cancelo escaped a booking for his challenge on Diomande.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory has strengthened their position in the La Liga title race, leaving Barcelona with a three point advantage at the top of the standings.