Aperribay on chip scandal: "It is evident that Aramburu touches the ball"

Real Sociedad president Aperribay defends his club's position on the controversial chip malfunction that denied them a penalty in the Basque derby, insisting Aramburu clearly touched the ball.

Real Sociedad president Jokin Aperribay addressed the fallout from the Basque derby against Athletic Bilbao, which ended in controversy after a sensor malfunction in the Connected Ball technology failed to register contact when Jon Mikel Aramburu appeared to touch the ball in a penalty incident involving Nico Williams.

Aperribay stated that Real Sociedad were convinced immediately after the match that it was not a penalty, without needing any external analysis. "It is evident that Aramburu touches the ball," he said, adding that the club knew the truth from watching replays and hearing the referee's explanation. He questioned whether football should be overloaded with technological tools for every decision, arguing that the referee's decision on the pitch must be respected.

While calling for clarification on how the Kinexon sensor failure occurred, Aperribay urged the club to move forward and focus on upcoming fixtures against Lyon in Europe and Rayo Vallecano in the league. He praised the quality of the derby itself, noting both teams showed high competitive levels despite the disappointing outcome.