Josep Pedrerol column: The disgrace of VAR in LaLiga

We are being taken for a ride. They use VAR when they want, how they want and without any sense. After the scandal in Cadiz, Iglesias Villanueva apologised for missing the clearly offside goal that damaged Cadiz's survival hopes as they drew 1-1 with Elche. An oasis of sincerity in the opacity in which the refereeing collective lives. That is to be applauded.

But what happened on Sunday at Camp Nou? They passed on reviewing an Ousmane Dembele tackle that was a clear red. The Frenchman's face said it all. But nothing. How can that be? Barça don't need favours. Neither Barça nor Real Madrid do. No one does. We want justice. That is all we ask for from the referees, nothing else. Oh, and a little coherence.

It cannot be the case that one week a handball is a penalty and the next exactly the same handball passes unnoticed. It needs to be cleared up once and for all because the errors are adding up, like the yellow card for Lamela in the 44th minute of Sevilla-Cadiz. That marked the game. And you know the worst thing of all? That Medina Cantalejo comes out, the referee's chief, boasting of a 97% success rate. Who are they kidding?

Now they have a monitor in front of them, all the cameras in the world, the most advanced technology and can review actions 200 times from all possible angles. Now that football has to stop, now that VAR can even interrupt goal celebrations... get it right. It's not much to ask.

The VAR yes or VAR no debate has started. This is not about machines. The problem is a human one and the fact that the criteria changes constantly. Technology is to help, not to ruin the spectacle. We are losing the emotion, real football, intensity. We cannot fall into this trap. Technology has to intervene in offsides, in clear penalties and in challenges that pose a risk to rivals. Let's protect the spectacle. Referees should not be the enemies of football. They have to be there to help, not destroy.

Applause for...

• Simeone's Atletico do know how to play football
• Monchi puts on a show and avoids assuming his failure in Sevilla's signings
• Imanol's Real Sociedad keep going strong, will they fight for everything?
• The importance of a good goalkeeper: Álvaro Fernández at Espanyol