This analysis reviews the peak penalty tallies for every LaLiga club since the VAR system began in the 2018-19 season, offering a clear view of how often refereeing decisions have swung in favor of or against teams across five seasons.
VAR, short for video assistant refereeing, was introduced to assist match officials with difficult calls in key moments such as penalties, red cards, offsides, and other disputed actions. In LaLiga it has been part of the officiating toolkit since 2018-19, and its impact has sparked ongoing debate while also delivering measurable balance in certain statistics, including the distribution of penalties across clubs.
Which teams have taken the most penalties in LaLiga since VAR began?
Real Madrid leads the way in penalties awarded since VAR’s arrival, tallying 43 opportunities at the spot. They have also converted 36 of those chances into goals from the penalty stripe, underscoring their capability from the spot over multiple seasons. This figure places them at the forefront of LaLiga penalty advantages since the system’s adoption, reflecting both frequency and effectiveness in converting penalties.
Close behind, several traditional heavyweights—Villarreal, Valencia, and Real Sociedad—have each benefited from 40 favorable penalties over the same period. It is notable that Barcelona, one of the league’s most storied clubs, sits eighth with 31 penalties in their favor, a deficit of 12 compared to Real Madrid’s total. When considering success rates, Espanyol has made a name for themselves by converting 16 of their awarded penalties, while Sevilla has been even more prolific, converting 21 of 24 attempts in this timeframe.
Meanwhile, Sevilla and Atlético de Madrid have been standout examples of teams that have faced relatively fewer penalties since VAR’s introduction. Among clubs that have spent all five seasons under VAR in LaLiga, Simeone’s Atlético de Madrid and the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán-based squad have each faced and conceded far fewer spot-kick opportunities, registering 24 penalties awarded to each club over the period. This highlights how the discipline of defensive organization and on-field strategy can influence officiating outcomes across multiple campaigns.
There are seasons in which clubs from the second tier have faced more penalties than Sevilla or their local rivals, suggesting that the landscape of penalty decisions is influenced by a wide range of factors, including spray of disciplinary actions, tactical approaches, and the evolving interpretation ofVAR rules across teams and years. The data paints a nuanced picture: the frequency of penalties and the success rate from the spot can shift with changes in management, style of play, and even the evolving standards in VAR utilization.
Overall, the period since VAR’s introduction has delivered a mix of dramatic moments and cautious balance. The distribution of penalties across LaLiga clubs shows that some teams consistently benefit from opportunities at goal, while others have demonstrated resilience in defense to limit such incidents. This ongoing dialogue between officiating practices and on-field tactics continues to shape how clubs strategize around set-piece situations, refereeing decisions, and the broader interpretation of video review in top-tier Spanish football.
In a league where the margins are slim and the crowd’s expectations are high, VAR’s presence has become a defining element of modern LaLiga. It influences not only the outcomes of individual matches but also the long-term perception of fairness and competitive balance among the league’s leading contenders, mid-table teams, and those fighting for relegation. The evolving statistics surrounding penalties since 2018-19 illustrate how a technological intervention can intersect with tradition, strategy, and the relentless pursuit of glory that characterizes Spanish football.