Jesús Gil Manzano, a referee with a reputation for being a Madridist in Barça's environment, helped Flick's team in the last Barça-Betis match.
At the end of the match, Raphinha approached the assistant referee to insult him. Gil Manzano was very close, but in the match report, he didn't record the Barça player's disrespect.
What Raphinha Said to the Fourth Official
Raphinha was upset. Hansi Flick and Ter Stegen tried to calm him down to avoid a harsh sanction, but he ignored their well-intentioned advice. He even pushed Ter Stegen as if he were an opponent.
"You're rude, you don't tell me to shut up," Raphinha said, very upset, to Gil Manzano's assistant.
In other circumstances, for example with Bellingham's famous "fuck off," the referee can record the players' words in the report. But Gil Manzano didn't do it, even though the insult and disrespect to the fourth official were evident.
Since the incident didn't appear in the report and no other club filed a complaint, Raphinha gets away scot-free from an incident that is penalized by the regulations. It could have resulted in a suspension of two to four matches.
Bellingham Received a Two-Match Ban for the Controversial "Fuck Off"
This way, Gil Manzano helped Barça. Raphinha's act of indiscipline, who seems to have a referee's indulgence, will go unpunished. Hansi Flick will be able to continue counting on the Brazilian player in the upcoming matches.
This is the preferential treatment that Real Madrid complains about. Something that happens continuously in all LaLiga matchdays. It has a lot to do with the position that Barça occupies in the standings.
Bellingham received a two-match ban for disrespecting Munuera Montero. Can a referee be disrespected more by calling him "rude"?
Despite everything, from Barcelona, they will continue to insist that referees favor Real Madrid, but actions like this show the opposite. Barça remains at the top thanks to Gil Manzano.