Former referee admits to error that cost Barcelona the La Liga title in 2014 | OneFootball

Former referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz has admitted that his controversial decision in the final match of the 2013-14 La Liga season cost Barcelona the title.

The Valencian official incorrectly ruled out a goal by Lionel Messi in a title-deciding contest against Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou, a mistake he now concedes was wrong.

What happened?

In May 2014, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid faced off in a title-deciding match at a packed Camp Nou. The Blaugrana, second in the table with 86 points, needed a win to become champions, while Atleti, sitting at the top on 89 points, only required a draw.

Alexis Sanchez gave Barcelona the lead, but Diego Godin’s equaliser secured a 1-1 draw and handed the title to Los Rojiblancos.

However, the game’s most decisive moment came in the 64th minute when Messi found the back of the net to make it 2-1 for Barcelona, only for it to be ruled out for offside.

Messi’s goal should have stood. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

The pass to Messi had come from Dani Alves had come off a deflection from Atletico’s Juanfran, but Mateu Lahoz and his assistant believed it was from Cesc Fabregas, and flagged it for offside.

Lahoz admits to mistake

Now, over a decade later, Lahoz, now a pundit for Movistar and COPE, admitted to his error.

“I was wrong. Looking back, we now know the ball came off Juanfran,” he acknowledged, as quoted by SPORT.

“Barcelona and Atletico arrived at the final match level on almost everything, and that one decision changed everything.”

“From my position, I could not tell,” Lahoz admitted. “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.”

Barcelona never recovered from that moment, and Atletico held on for the draw and lifted their first league title in 18 years.

Lahoz’s admission now confirms what many fans had long suspected: one wrong call cost Barcelona a championship.