Betis v Barca ref breaks his silence

Both Betis and Barca have complained this week about the refereeing performance at the Benito Villamarin. The Betis vice-president even called it "persecution."

You have to remember that Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez, the referee, sent off Lenglet and Fekir, but did not dismiss Sergi Roberto for a bad challenge. Angel Hero, the Betis president, called it "a clear red card."

After what had happened, the referee from Murcia broke his silence on Wednesday in a meeting organised by the referees committee (CTA), When asked about the controversy, Sanchez Martinez was philosophical in his response. 

"It was just another day, another experience, another match. You always learn something from every match, whether they are more or less intense. But not only in referee, but in any walk of life. Sunday was just another day which you learn from and keep growing both as a referee and on a personal level," he explained. 

"Controversies are part of our job. I've been in this for 18 years and it's normal these things happen. There are matches with more pressure than others and that forms a referee and especially a person. In other words, it was nothing special," the referee continued. 

In addition, Sanchez Martinez defended the use of the VAR: "It's helping us when there is an error and that favours us. It's a tool which has come to help us."