18:03h CET

Barcelona: no penalties against in a whole year

Who would have believed it? This Tuesday it'll be exactly one year since Barcelona last had a penalty award against them in LaLiga. That afternoon Celta were given a clear penalty, converted by the charismatic Guidetti. But who would have thought back then that the Spanish referees would manage not to give them another one for a full 366 days (2016 being a leap year).

Mascherano and Umtiti get away with all sorts

Well look, they've only gone and done it. Managing along the way to ignore Mascherano on Lucas Vázquez or Cristiano Ronaldo in the most recent Clásico, and his transgressions in the Madrigal, Mestalle and Cornellà; or Umtiti's box-based misdemeanours in the Pizjuán and Mestalla.

Mascharano got away with this clear foul on Lucas Vázquez in the Clásico

Mascherano's non-awarded penalties reveal another incredible statistic: somehow he's not had a penalty given against him since 20 October 2012, during a Depor-Barcelona match. Nearly five years!

Referees roll out the red carpet for Barcelona

Taking a closer look at the record books, there are at least half-dozen clear penalties that just happened never to get awarded. It's like having a red carpet rolled out by the referees. You know you can push, handle and play at or beyond the limit in the box, knowing the whistler will be looking the other way.

Beautiful friendship between the referees and Barcelona

So this Tuesday, St. Valentine's Day, it's good to remember the beautiful friendship between Barcelon and the referees in Spain, as they celebrate 66 LaLiga matchdays in which the officials have only given one penalty against Barça.

One penalty in 66 matches! A statistic is indeed worth a thousand words. As Piqué would say: "we know how this works..."