Alberola Rojas earns high praise for handling Barcelona’s win at Atletico Madrid

Alberola Rojas received an impressive 8 out of 10 rating for his performance as Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 in the headline fixture of round 12 in La Liga.

The assessment came from Archivo VAR, a website specialising in refereeing decisions and match incidents. It described Rojas’ display as an outstanding piece of officiating and praised the way he managed a demanding contest.

Rojas is known for imposing his authority through a firm approach, but he adopted a different method in this match. Rather than relying on disciplinary action, he stayed close to the players, listened when they sought explanations and used conversation to control the game.

That approach was tested in the first half when Lamine Yamal and Alex Baena protested over decisions. Another referee might have immediately shown a yellow card, but Rojas chose to speak to both players instead.

It was a potentially risky decision, yet it proved effective. The complaints did not continue, the players returned their attention to the match and the tension gradually eased without a succession of bookings.

Archivo VAR’s only minor criticism was that Rojas awarded a number of isolated fouls which could possibly have been ignored. However, it otherwise regarded his performance as one that demonstrated why UEFA has placed its trust in him and given him increasing opportunities to progress.

The most significant decision of the match came in the first half and further enhanced the referee’s reputation. Baena brought down Yamal just outside the penalty area without attempting to play the ball. The Barcelona player then moved directly into the box.

The incident appeared capable of leading to a penalty, but Rojas did not allow himself to be influenced by the position in which Yamal ended up. He showed Baena a yellow card and awarded Barcelona a free-kick outside the area.

Archivo VAR judged that decision to be correct. It was a key moment in a match where Rojas avoided any major errors, with the shortcomings in his performance limited to a small number of minor decisions.

His handling of the contest provided a strong conclusion to an evening in which he controlled the players through communication and consistency rather than excessive use of cards. Despite the pressure of a meeting between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, the game did not descend into repeated disputes, and Rojas’ management was rewarded with one of the highest possible assessments from Archivo VAR.