'Scandal': Lionel Messi's ghost goal against Valencia gives Barcelona real reason to bemoan injustice

Messi's shot was fumbled over the line by Valencia goalkeeper Neto but somehow the referee failed to spot it, leaving Barcelona to drown out Real Madrid's recent complaints with their own

Lionel Messi could not believe his strike did not count (Getty)

With Real Madrid well off the pace set by Barcelona in La Liga's title race, media in the Spanish capital had begun to mount a campaign against the refereeing injustices that had held the Bernabeu club back.

Barca, of course, never responded but they could barely have wished for a better, albeit painful way to silence such nonsense than the 'ghost goal' that cost them all three points in Sunday's top-of-the-table clash with Valencia.

Video refereeing was already set to be introduced to La Liga next season, as confirmed by league president Javier Tebas a month ago, but that will be of little consolation to the Catalan club who saw Lionel Messi's shot clearly spilled over his own line by Valencia goalkeeper Neto, only for no goal to be given.

"Scandal," read the front page of Mundo Deportivo on Monday, while SPORT labelled it "a refereeing robbery".

The front page of Madrid-based sports daily Marca was somewhat more forgiving, focusing on a title race that had new life breathed into it by referee Ignacio Villanueva's oversight as Atletico and Real Madrid were allowed to slightly close on the top two.

Earlier this year, Jordi Alba was the victim of a similar incident that potentially altered the destination of last season's title. But even that decision was more marginal than this, where the whole ball was not only plainly over the line but had clear daylight separating it from the chalk.

"There will be a lot of things that VAR can't clear up, but I hope that they can help with things likes today," Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets said.

Valencia goalkeeper Neto spills over his own goal-line (Getty)

"It's an evolution which we need. It's something we need."

With VAR already on its way, there is no video refereeing debate to ignite as such, just an injustice to highlight and further whispers of conspiracy to swat aside.

Barca remain four points clear of Valencia after their Mestalla stalemate and Marcelino's side, rather than Ernesto Valverde's, continue to be the story of the season.

But if these two points dropped cost the Nou Camp club when honours are handed out in May then the howling will be considerably louder than it was on Sunday night. Just as whining about the lack of decisions in Real Madrid's favour was considerably muted by a genuine officiating shocker.