Most disallowed goals since VAR installation in La Liga

Since the introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system in La Liga during the 2018-19 season, its impact has been a major taking point among football fans, players, and analysts.

One of the key areas of controversy has been the number of goals disallowed due to VAR interventions. Among all the teams in La Liga, Real Madrid has had the highest number of goals ruled out by the VAR decision. 

El VAR llegará a #LaLigaSantander la próxima temporada.

Repasa cuáles son los supuestos en los que se utilizará el árbitro asistente de vídeo. pic.twitter.com/RCxDKH8WpW

— LALIGA (@LaLiga) April 26, 2018

Most disallowed goals since VAR installation in LaLiga:

According to recent statistics, as of January 2025, Real Madrid faced 32 disallowed goals decided by VAR since the system was implemented in La Liga. This is more than any other club in the Spanish League. In comparison, their fierce rival FC Barcelona has had only 13 goals overturned by VAR decisions in the same period.

The significant difference in these numbers has fueled debates about the consistency of VAR decisions and their impact on teams.

One of the most striking records is that Real Madrid is the only team in La Liga history to have had three goals disallowed in a single match or two separate occasions. This highlights the extent to which VAR decisions have affected the club's goal tally over the years.

Goles anulados por el VAR #CorrupciónTecnológica

32 RM
17 ATM
17 Celta
17 Sevilla
16 Villarreal
15 Real Sociedad
14 Valencia
13 Barça
13 Espanyolpic.twitter.com/d30l6gXgez

— Fútbolgate.com (@futbolgate_ES) January 19, 2025

VAR's Impact on Real Madrid's Goal Ratio:

Real Madrid have scored 485 La Liga goals since the start of the 2018-19 season. With 32 goals disallowed, they have seen one overturned by VAR for every 15.2 goals scored. Barcelona's ratio is 40.7 as they have scored 529 in the same span and have seen just 13 goals disallowed.

Apart from that, Los Blancos also had three goals disallowed in a single match on two different occasions. It first happened against Elche in the 2022-23 season and the same happened against UD Las Palmas this 2024-25 season.

Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Federico Valverde all had their strike ruled out by the technology during the game against Las Palmas. This shows that Barcelona has a much higher scoring efficiency without facing as many overturned decisions, as Madrid has been affected by VAR interventions at a significantly higher rate.  

The controversies surrounding VAR decisions:

The implementation of VAR was meant to reduce refereeing errors and bring more fairness to football. However, its impact has been met with mixed reactions. Fans, Players, and Managers have frequently questioned whether VAR is used consistently and fairly across all teams.

Several matches involving Real Madrid in recent seasons have suffered crucial goals ruled out, directly affecting the results. In multiple encounters against Barcelona, VAR has disallowed key goals for Real Madrid leading to frustration among fans.

There have been matches where VAR decisions have significantly influenced the title race, either by ruling out crucial goals or awarding penalties to opponents.

How big is the VAR factor?

The numbers clearly show that Real Madrid has been the most affected club in La Liga regarding disallowed goals since the introduction of the VAR. While some fans and some analysts argue that this is the simple result of the team's playstyle. Others believe that there may be inconsistencies in how decisions are made. 

Regardless of personal opinions, what is certain is that VAR has changed the way football is played and watched, and Real Madrid has been at the center of many controversial moments since its implementation.