Real Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini blamed "incomprehensible and inexplicable decisions" for his side's 5-2 loss at home to Barcelona on Saturday in LaLiga.
Pellegrini bemoaned the call which led to a stunning Giovani Lo Celso strike being ruled out, claimed Barça's third goal should have been disallowed for a foul by Fermín López and lamented the red card shown to Facundo Bernal.
Abde Ezzalzouli had just made it 3-2 when Bernal was sent off, which subsequently ended Betis' hopes of mounting a comeback as they tasted defeat at home for the first time this season. "A feeling of helplessness," Pellegrini told DAZN when asked for his thoughts after the loss at La Cartuja.
"The scoreline does not reflect what the game was like. There were a series of incomprehensible and inexplicable decisions. We were reduced to 10 men and had a goal disallowed ... It was absurd.
"The handball [by Cucho Hernández before Lo Celso scored] had absolutely no bearing on the goal. For their third goal, there was a foot at head height and the VAR didn't review it.
"And as for the sending off, [Bernal] was provoked by Lamine Yamal. Instead of calling both players to account ... We were always the ones who suffered.
"To me, it was a lamentable refereeing [performance]. There is no need to apply the criteria that was applied in all those incidents."
Lo Celso's brilliant shot from distance looked to have made it 2-2 just before half-time after Yamal and Rodri had scored for Barça either side of a Valentín Gómez equaliser.
However, following a lengthy VAR review, the goal was ruled out for a handball by Hernández.
"[Hernández] controlled the ball with his chest and was pushed by the Barcelona defender [knocking the ball towards his hand]," Pellegrini added.
"It was 30 metres out and it had no bearing on the goal. It was the result of the Barcelona player's push. Unfortunately, they've ruined the spectacle in front of 60,000 people."
Pellegrini also felt a high foot from López should have been penalised before Barça's third goal, scored by Gabriel Jesus, but was especially angered by Bernal's dismissal after Abde netted.
"It's a real shame," he continued. "It was close until the incidents happened, which threw the match off balance, especially the sending off."
With Betis a player light, Barça added goals through Eric García and Dani Olmo to run out convincing winners, extending their winning start to the league campaign to a record-equalling nine games.
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"It was a very evenly matched game," Pellegrini said. "We had our chances. With us down to 10, they scored more goals and took control.
"But right up until the sending off, it was very even against a great team -- undoubtedly the best side in the league."
Betis remain third in the standings, with 19 points from their nine games, but now turn their attention to the Champions League. They host Feyenoord on Wednesday looking to make it three wins from three on their return to Europe's top competition after a 20-year absence.