Jorge Baliño explained why he did not award Platense a penalty against Boca

Refereeing was once again at the center of the spotlight in Boca's match in Vicente López. Jorge Baliño gave his view on the handball claimed by Platense and stood by his decision not to award a penalty, in a play that sparked debate because of the VAR intervention.

The referee's explanation came in a sensitive context for the club from La Ribera, which has also been under scrutiny for other disputed calls in the tournament. This time, however, the focus was on the criteria applied to a specific action inside the box.

What Baliño said about the play

Baliño was asked about the handball claimed by Platense and stressed that he did not believe it was a sanctionable foul. His stance was based on the interpretation of the action and on reviewing the play from a refereeing perspective.

Jorge Baliño: “No es antinatural”.

That was the phrase he used to explain why he did not grant El Calamar's appeal. The definition went directly to the criteria with which he assessed the contact and the position of the arm in the disputed action.

The role of the VAR in Vicente López

Another point that was made clear in the referee's explanation was the VAR's position. According to him, the technology team also felt the scene did not warrant a review that would alter the original decision on the pitch.

In that sense, Baliño justified why the video review, with Lucas Novelli at the head, did not step in to change what the officiating crew had interpreted at first instance. The reference to technology once again fueled the analysis of the threshold for intervention in borderline plays.

Jorge Baliño: “Es una situación discutible”.

With that phrase, the referee made it clear that this was neither a straightforward action nor one free of controversy, although he insisted he did not see a clear error that would justify overturning the call.

Boca, Platense and a play that reopened the debate

The action claimed by Platense took place in the context of a match that was heavily shaped by refereeing analysis, especially because of the disallowed goal that also drew scrutiny around the game. But Baliño's explanation focused on the handball appealed for by the home side and the decision not to award a penalty.

For Boca, the issue adds another layer to the scrutiny of its matches, in a stretch of the season where every rule-related detail is examined closely. For Platense, meanwhile, the feeling was one of a missed opportunity from the standpoint of refereeing interpretation.

Key points of the explanation

• Jorge Baliño denied that the handball warranted a penalty.
• He considered the action “not antinatural”.
• The VAR, with Lucas Novelli, chose not to intervene.
• The referee described the scene as a “situación discutible”.

The debate, as usually happens with these plays, did not end with the final whistle. But the referee's comments left the official stance on one of the most talked-about incidents in the clash between Platense and Boca.