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

The refereeing body reviewed both incidents and concluded that while the decision not to award Real Madrid a penalty for Balde’s handball was correct, Cancelo should have been cautioned for his challenge on Yan Diomande.

According to a report by Barca Universal on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, the CTA examined the incidents during its weekly Tiempo de Revisión programme following Sunday’s encounter at the Spotify Camp Nou.

Real Madrid secured all three points through a Kylian Mbappé brace, but the match generated considerable debate over several refereeing decisions.

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

After reviewing the footage, the CTA supported the referee’s decision, explaining that the contact was accidental and Balde’s arm was in a natural position. Consequently, the incident did not constitute a punishable handball offence.

However, the committee reached a different conclusion regarding Cancelo’s challenge on Real Madrid winger Yan Diomande.

The Barcelona defender caught the Ivory Coast international on the calf with his studs during the second half, prompting strong protests from Madrid players who believed the incident 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 demonstrated the brutality necessary to justify a dismissal.

Nevertheless, the committee maintained that Cancelo should have received 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 required threshold for a straight red card.

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

Meanwhile, the 2-1 victory has strengthened Real Madrid’s position in the La Liga title race, reducing Barcelona’s advantage at the top of the standings to three points.