Two Rayo Vallecano players agree: We don't know why the goal against Barcelona was disallowed

Two Rayo Vallecano players, goalkeeper Augusto Batalla and midfielder Pedro Diaz, were angry that their team was denied a goal in their 1-0 defeat to Barcelona. 

They are referring to Rayo Vallecano's first-half equalizer, which was disallowed, amid much controversy. 

However, Inigo Martinez was fouled inside the area by an offside position by Randy Nteka and this led to the VAR team to disallow the goal.  

🚨 Un but pour le Rayo Vallecano vient d'être refusé pour hors jeu.

Randy Nteka est signalé hors jeu, même sil ne touche pas le ballon, en bloquant Inigo Martinez selon le corps arbitral.pic.twitter.com/QOxNt9sZZh

- Foot News (@ActuFoot_) February 17, 2025

"I don't like to talk about the referees, but I think it was a valuable goal for us!" declared goalkeeper Augusto Batalla. 

Rayo midfielder Pedro Diaz also expressed his confusion about why his team's goal against Barcelona was disallowed. 

"We don't understand why they disallowed our goal. They said he was offside because he blocked it. We didn't understand, but we have to move on." 

Read too Amidst controversy, Barcelona takes three points with a penalty to climb to the top 

"In football, we all get caught up in blocking a bit, but it's the referee's interpretation and we have to respect that," Diaz declared.  

 Barça managed to win the match and return to the top of the La Liga standings thanks to Robert Lewandowski's penalty. /Telegraph/