"Who is Soto Grado? As pointed out by Diario SPORT, Grado's appointment has raised immediate concern within the Blaugrana dressing room. The official arrives amidst intense controversy following Pau Cubarsí's disallowed goal against Atletico Madrid, which prompted formal complaints from the club. Soto Grado has a turbulent history with Barça, yielding a record of seven wins, three draws, and six defeats across 16 matches."
"This will be the third time he has officiated Hansi Flick's side this season, following a contentious Madrid derby in November. During that fixture, he sent off Pedri and awarded a penalty against Eric Garcia for handball, though Wojciech Szczesny saved the attempt. He also initially awarded a penalty for a perceived foul on Vinicius Junior that was ultimately overturned by VAR after it was revealed the Brazilian dived."
"His tenure is marked by high-profile disputes, most notably the 2023-24 Clasico, where he failed to award a ghost goal to Lamine Yamal. Previous seasons saw a Joao Felix goal disallowed for a debated offside and a scoreless draw at Getafe marred by Raphinha's dismissal. In that Getafe match, he refused a late penalty on Ronald Araujo, citing previous handballs by Gavi in a decision many viewed as an invention."
Barcelona must win against Girona on Monday to retain top spot in LaLiga; failure will hand the lead to Real Madrid. Cesar Soto Grado will officiate the match at Montilivi. His appointment follows Pau Cubarsí's disallowed goal against Atletico Madrid, which prompted the club to file a formal complaint. Soto Grado has refereed Barcelona 16 times, producing seven wins, three draws and six defeats. This will be his third match involving Hansi Flick's side this season and he has been involved in contentious decisions, including sendings-off, awarded and overturned penalties, and disputed rulings in Clasico and Getafe fixtures.
Read at Barca Universal
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