Ronaldo and Messi left behind as Championship beats LaLiga to goal-line technology

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are unable to benefit from goal-line technology but the likes of Barnsley and Brentford will after the English Football League (EFL) agreed in principle to introduce it to the Championship next season.

There have been growing calls for the system to be rolled out in Spain’s top flight, particularly after Barcelona were denied a clear goal away to Real Betis last month.

The president of LaLiga, Javier Tebas, has previously expressed a willingness to consider adopting the technology but claims it is too expensive to implement throughout the league, while the Royal Spanish Football Federation must also agree to its introduction. 

Spain’s intransigence will not stop England’s second tier from following the example of the Premier League, though, pending approval at the EFL’s annual general meeting in June.

#EFL NEWS: Goal-line technology to be introduced in 2017/18 >> https://t.co/Ew3rvE1v7F pic.twitter.com/Soi5Zk1iAL

— EFL (@EFL) February 16, 2017

LaLiga’s players may be among the best in the world, but it is clear Spain has some catching up to do when it comes to off-field innovation.