Sat Feb 22 19:10:00 UTC 2025: ## Barça Escapes with Narrow Victory Against Las Palmas Despite Controversial VAR Decision
**Las Palmas, Canary Islands** – FC Barcelona secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory against UD Las Palmas on Sunday, but the match was overshadowed by a controversial VAR decision. Despite dominating possession in the second half, the reigning La Liga champions struggled against a spirited Las Palmas side that held them at bay for the first 45 minutes.
A tactical substitution proved decisive for Barcelona. The introduction of Dani Olmo at halftime injected much-needed dynamism into their attack. Olmo’s stunning goal in the 60th minute, expertly placed in the top corner following a clever assist from Lamine Yamal, broke the deadlock. Ferran Torres added a late goal in stoppage time to seal the three points.
Pedri, playing against his former youth club, received a warm ovation from the home crowd despite a less-than-stellar performance. Barcelona’s coach, Hansi Flick, made several changes at halftime, including replacing Fermín with Olmo, a move that ultimately proved crucial to the team’s success.
Las Palmas, despite missing key player Fábio Silva, played aggressively and created several early opportunities, testing Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny. Their fast-paced, attacking style initially frustrated the league leaders.
However, the match was marred by a contentious VAR review in the second half. Initially, a penalty was signaled for a handball against Eric García. However, after a review, the referee overturned the decision, citing a prior offside by Alex Muñoz. This sparked controversy, with some questioning the VAR’s decision-making process and accusing the referee of bias. The club is reportedly planning to request the audio recordings of the VAR discussions. Regardless of the controversy, Barcelona secured the win, extending their lead at the top of La Liga.
First Piper 