The Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) has backed the decision not to award Real Madrid a penalty for Alejandro Balde’s handball during Barcelona’s 2-1 defeat in El Clasico, while concluding that Joao Cancelo should have received a yellow card for his challenge on Yan Diomande. According to a report by Barca Universal on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, the committee examined both incidents and explained its assessment of the refereeing decisions.

Barcelona suffered their first La Liga defeat of the season against their fierce rivals at the Spotify Camp Nou. The encounter featured several contentious moments, with players from both teams questioning decisions made by the match officials throughout the highly anticipated contest.

Following the game, the CTA reviewed two incidents involving Barcelona defenders during its weekly Tiempo de Revision programme. According to MARCA, the committee supported the referee’s handling of Balde’s handball appeal but identified an error in the decision not to caution Cancelo.

The first incident occurred when the ball struck Balde’s arm inside Barcelona’s penalty area. Real Madrid players immediately appealed for a spot kick, but referee Martinez Munuera decided against awarding a penalty and allowed play to continue.

After reviewing the footage, the CTA agreed with the referee’s decision. The committee explained that the contact was accidental and that Balde’s arm was positioned naturally when the ball struck it. On that basis, the incident did not meet the criteria for a handball offence punishable by a penalty.

The second controversy involved Cancelo’s challenge on Real Madrid winger Diomande during the second half. The Barcelona defender made contact with the winger’s calf with his studs, triggering strong protests from Madrid players who believed the tackle was serious enough to warrant a straight red card.

However, the CTA concluded that a yellow card would have been the appropriate punishment. Although the committee considered the challenge reckless, it determined that the incident did not demonstrate the excessive force or brutality required for a sending-off.

Despite objections from Jose Mourinho and several Real Madrid players, the officials did not issue a red card. The CTA’s assessment indicated that the challenge fell short of the threshold for a dismissal, meaning the Video Assistant Referee had no sufficient grounds to intervene and recommend a straight red card.

Cancelo ultimately avoided the booking that the committee believed he should have received. That decision added to the list of contentious moments from Barcelona’s disappointing evening, even though the CTA did not consider the challenge a red-card offence.

While the two incidents attracted considerable attention after the final whistle, neither directly changed the outcome of the match. Barcelona will nevertheless be left to reflect on the decisions, particularly the missed yellow card identified by the refereeing committee.

For manager Hansi Flick, the more pressing concern will be his team’s performance and the implications of the defeat for their league campaign. Barcelona missed the opportunity to extend their advantage at the top of La Liga to nine points, allowing the result to disrupt their progress.

Flick must now assess the shortcomings exposed during El Clasico and work on improving the team’s overall display. With further fixtures approaching, Barcelona will need to respond quickly and regain consistency if they are to maintain their position in the title race.