As The Tensions Rise, Pique And Gil Manzano Meet Again

Gerard Pique (Instagram @3gererdpique)

JAKARTA - Barcelona has been disappointed by the decision of the referee who they believe has supported Real Madrid in recent weeks. Gerard Pique is among the Barca players who do not hide his frustration.

On the evening of Friday, 19 June, Pique said the referee preferred Real Madrid, before Los Blancos were involved in VAR's win over Real Sociedad on Sunday.

Today, Tuesday, Jesus Gil Manzano will be the referee for the Barcelona match against Athletic Bilbao. This of course will bring up tense memories.

It was Gil Manzano who was in the limelight during Barcelona's visit to Real Sociedad this season. In the match which ended in a 2-2 draw, Barca sent a letter of official complaint to the president of the Spanish football federation, Luis Rubiales, regarding Gil Manzano's decision not to check VAR.

Pique was pushed down and VAR was not seen in an incident similar to the previous one. At that time, a penalty was awarded to La Real when Sergio Busquets did the same.

Javier Alberola Rojas is the referee on the pitch, but Gil Manzano is in the position of the VAR room and takes the burden of complaints.

"This is an incident for VAR, they have to check it," Busquets said at the time as reported by MARCA, Tuesday.

"It's hard to understand why they act like this (to Barca)."

This is not the first time Gil Manzano has clashed with Barcelona. Pique was involved in heated discussions with Manzano in the 2018/19 season after he threw Clement Lenglet off in the first round in a match against Girona.

"History speaks for itself," Pique told Gil Manzano in the tunnel at the break.

Pique previously criticized Gil Manzano when he complained on Twitter in 2017. This was related to the court's decision in Real Madrid's 3-2 win over Villarreal when Los Blancos came from behind to win on a controversial penalty.

Gil Manzano has officiated Barcelona's matches 23 times, with 15 wins for the Catalan side, five draws, three defeats and six red cards. It turns out, if you look at this record, the number of Barcelona wins is still more than the defeat, huh?