Saturday's La Liga match between Levante and Atletico Madrid at the "Ciutat de Valencia" stadium produced a first for the competition, with referees allowed to explain controversial calls across two of the day's fixtures. Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea appeared after the game on the "Movistar" channel to explain why he had disallowed two Atletico goals, booked Levante coach Luis Castro and sent off a member of Levante's equipment staff.
Post-match explanations introduced
His appearance came as part of a joint initiative between La Liga, the Spanish Football Federation and the referees' union. De Burgos opened with a message of solidarity to the victims of the Toledo accident and their families.
Why the goals were ruled out
De Burgos said: "There was an offside that we allowed to continue on the pitch, and from the video assistant referee room they told us that the system indicated an offside, and we simply had to correct the play and change the goal to an offside."
De Burgos said: "In the second incident we took the decision on the pitch to disallow the goal, and the system confirms that we were right."
Disciplinary decisions on the touchline
De Burgos said Luis Castro was booked for comments that overstepped the mark.
De Burgos said: "We received several complaints, the last of them relating to improper conduct, and we took the decision to send him off in accordance with the regulations."
Ivan Romero complaint
De Burgos said Ivan Romero complained of being caught by an elbow, that the contact came behind the player's back, and that VAR judged it a normal part of the play with no offence.
