The arbitration scandal surrounding FC Barcelona’s crushing 4-1 defeat against Sevilla FC has escalated to the international stage. FIFA has launched a formal investigation into referee Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz for alleged manipulation during the controversial Matchday 8 clash of LaLiga, played yesterday at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium. The announcement, made official this morning from Zurich, has shaken the football world—especially Barça fans, who have been demanding justice after a disputed “ghost” penalty that changed the course of the game.
The biggest twist came when Barça president Joan Laporta filed a formal complaint with UEFA and the RFEF, claiming to have “irrefutable evidence” of irregularities. His move has ignited social media, with fans flooding the internet with outrage and messages of support for the club.
Muñiz Ruiz, a 37-year-old Galician referee who joined the top division in 2021, is now at the center of the storm for awarding Sevilla a controversial penalty in the 13th minute after minimal contact between Ronald Araújo and Isaac Romero—an incident he initially ignored. Following a VAR review led by Carlos del Cerro Grande, he changed his decision, allowing former Barça player Alexis Sánchez to calmly open the scoring.
Former referee Iturralde González called the penalty “nonexistent,” describing Romero’s fall as “pure theater.”
According to FIFA’s bulletin, the investigation will focus on “possible intentional manipulation affecting the integrity of the game,” citing “irregular patterns in key decisions.” The action comes amid broader scrutiny of Spanish refereeing, following a recent “systemic corruption” complaint that had already impacted Real Madrid. Muñiz has been provisionally suspended, and the CTA has launched an internal audit.
The match itself was a nightmare for Hansi Flick’s previously unbeaten Barça side. After Sánchez’s opener, Dodi Lukebakio doubled Sevilla’s lead in the 25th minute following a Frenkie de Jong turnover. Pedri pulled one back with a brilliant strike at 55’, but a missed foul on Jules Koundé allowed Lukebakio to assist Romero for the third at 68’, before Romero sealed the 4-1 rout in the 82nd minute. Despite Barça’s 18 shots (6 on target) compared to Sevilla’s 9 (4 goals), Flick—sent off for protesting—condemned the officiating: “This isn’t football; it’s a robbery.” The loss cost Barcelona the top spot in LaLiga, now held by Real Madrid (22 points to 19) ahead of the international break.
Laporta’s swift reaction became a turning point. Just hours after the match, he held a press conference at Camp Nou, after tweeting “Flagrant injustice!”—a post that garnered 1.5 million interactions. “I have spoken directly with Gianni Infantino and contacted UEFA. We have recordings, testimonies, and analytical data proving bias in VAR decisions. This isn’t an error—it’s manipulation that systematically harms Barça,” he declared, presenting footage and statistics showing Barça suffered 12% more penalties against than any other club. Drawing parallels to the Negreira case, Laporta accused the CTA of lacking independence and demanded Luis Medina Cantalejo’s resignation. “We will fight until fairness prevails. Barça will not bow to conspiracies,” he concluded, visibly emotional.
Fans reacted explosively. As Laporta flew to Zurich for an emergency meeting, hashtags like #InvestigacionFIFA and #LaportaHero trended globally with over 3 million mentions. Memes of Muñiz as a comic villain and chants of “Justicia Culé!” echoed through Las Ramblas. In contrast, Sevilla supporters defended the referee, condemning what they called a “Barcelona witch hunt.”
LaLiga president Javier Tebas urged calm: “We support the investigation, but football must not be politicized.”
For a wounded yet united Barça, the break offers a chance to regroup. Yamal and Gavi are set to return, and Flick is preparing specialized “anti-referee” set-piece drills. “Laporta has given us wings—now we rise again,” Robert Lewandowski posted.
Will Muñiz face sanctions? Will the VAR system be reformed? FIFA promises a verdict within 72 hours. For now, even as Camp Nou remains under construction, it reverberates with defiant hope—the fight for truth has only begun, and under Laporta’s leadership, Barça shows no sign of backing down.
