At 7:43 p.m.
on November 27, 2025, FIFA shook the world of football with an unprecedented official statement: for the first time in modern history, the highest body publicly admits a “serious and decisive refereeing error” in a Champions League match and opens the door to extraordinary measures after the controversial Barcelona 4-3 Chelsea last night at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
The match, corresponding to the fifth day of the new Champions League, ended with a culé victory thanks to a goal by Ferran Torres in the 90+7 minute from the penalty spot.
However, subsequent images showed that there was no contact between Enzo Fernández and Lamine Yamal in the area: the young Spaniard dropped after a slight shoulder rub and the Romanian referee István Kovács pointed out the eleven meters without hesitation.
Robert Sánchez guessed, but the “Shark” shot was unstoppable.
Today, barely 20 hours later, the FIFA Referees Commission has published a 14-page report signed by Pierluigi Collina in person where it is verbatim acknowledged:
«After the exhaustive analysis of the VAR and the 3D images, it is concluded that there was not enough contact to declare a penalty in the 90+6 minute action. The error of the referee team directly influenced the final result of the match.
“FIFA deeply regrets the damage caused to Chelsea FC and football in general.”
The statement goes further and announces that, for the first time in the history of the Champions League, the possibility of repeating the match or, failing that, awarding the three points to Chelsea by 0-3 in regulation will be studied.
The final decision will be made in an emergency committee convened for next Monday, December 1.
The chronology of the scandal Minute 90+6: Lamine Yamal falls in the area after a duel with Enzo Fernández. Kovács signals a penalty without consulting the VAR. The VAR (the Italian Irrati) does not call the monitor despite the clear images. Ferran Torres transforms the final 4-3.
Chelsea presents an official claim at 00:17 h. At 2:00 p.m. today, Collina calls a telematic press conference. 7:43 p.m.: bombshell statement from FIFA. Immediate reactions
Xavi Hernández, visibly tense in the press conference after morning training: «I respect any decision, but we do not call penalties. The referee saw it on the field and the VAR did not correct it. “We just play football.”
Enzo Maresca, Chelsea coach, was much harsher: “Everyone has seen it except those who had to see it. This is not football, it is blatant theft. If FIFA has dignity, it will repeat the match or give us the points. There is no other option.
Cole Palmer, author of a hat-trick last night, posted a black and white photo on Instagram with the text: “Sometimes silence speaks louder” and more than 3 million likes in one hour.
Joan Laporta, president of Barça, called an urgent appearance at 9:00 p.m.: «The club abides, but does not share. If FIFA opens this precedent, the entire arbitration system will be in danger. “How many penalties not called in favor of Barça in recent years are they going to review now?”
The precedent that can change everything
Never before had FIFA or UEFA recognized a referee error as “determining” and opened the door to repeating a top-flight match. The closest cases were:
2005: UEFA annulled Mourinho’s Chelsea-Barça due to the Norwegian Øvrebø scandal, but the match was not repeated. 2018: Conmebol allowed Boca-River to repeat the Libertadores final due to an attack on the bus.
2023: The Premier League publicly apologized to Liverpool for Díaz’s disallowed goal against Tottenham, but did not change the result.
Now FIFA goes further and cites article 8.3 of the Disciplinary Regulations that allows “exceptional measures when there is a manifest error that alters the result.”
Imminent sporting consequences
If Chelsea is finally awarded 0-3:
Chelsea would rise to 4th position with 12 points (direct access to the round of 16). Barça would fall to 9th place and would have to play in the playoff playoffs in February. The particular goal-average would go in favor of Chelsea (+3 instead of -1).
If the match is repeated:
It would be played on a FIFA date in January or February on a neutral field (probably Lisbon or Milan). The current result would be nullified. The opinion of the heavyweights Pep Guardiola: «If they admit the mistake, the logical thing is to repeat it.
Not doing so in football would be hypocrisy. José Mourinho (on TNT Sports): “Welcome justice… even if it comes 20 years too late for me.” Gary Neville: «This opens Pandora’s box.
Tomorrow all the clubs will ask to review their lost games. Gerard Piqué: “If they repeat this one, let them also repeat the one from Stamford Bridge 2009. Either all of them or none of them.”
At 10:15 p.m. tonight, hundreds of Chelsea fans gathered outside UEFA headquarters in Nyon with “Justice for Chelsea” banners and blue flares.
In Barcelona, ​​the atmosphere is one of maximum tension: the members have called a demonstration on Saturday in front of the Camp Nou in case the club “lets itself be robbed again.”
Meanwhile, world football holds its breath. Next Monday a new era could be born… or a Champions League match could be repeated due to referee error for the first time in history.
The ball, for once, is not on the grass. It’s in the Zurich offices.
