ไทย
English
中國人
Real Madrid head coach Álvaro Arbeloa renewed his criticism of La Liga officials on Friday night following yet another disputed decision in the 1–1 stalemate against Girona.
As the match entered its final stages with Madrid desperate for a winner, Kylian Mbappé hit the deck inside the penalty box after taking an elbow to the face from Vitor Reis. The French forward was left with a bloodied face, yet no spot kick was awarded, and while Arbeloa expressed initial disbelief, he conceded he had come to expect little else from La Liga's officiating corps.
"As far as I'm concerned, it's a penalty here and on the moon, and it's just one more," Arbeloa lamented. "Another week. That's the reality."
"Honestly, neither I nor anyone else can make sense of it. It seems VAR steps in when it's convenient, and stays silent when it isn't."
"You already know where I stand, and these incidents only reinforce it. We've had no shortage of problems with referees. Same story, different week."
Real Madrid Claim Spanish Soccer Is Rigged—Report
Grievances from Madrid's hierarchy over refereeing standards this season have been a recurring theme, but this latest perceived slight has, according to AS, pushed Los Blancos to their breaking point.
Madrid have pulled out of recent meetings with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), insisting there is "no point" in engaging in dialogue about La Liga's current state while such officiating errors continue to occur regularly.
Club executives have now leveled accusations of corruption at the RFEF, suggesting the failure to award a penalty for the challenge on Mbappé may have even been deliberate. They are willing to chalk up the on-field referee's decision as a genuine error, but VAR's refusal to intervene has left Madrid both baffled and furious.
It remains unclear whether Madrid believe they are being directly targeted or whether favoritism is instead being quietly extended to Barcelona.
The failure to defeat Girona leaves Madrid six points adrift of Barcelona, having played one additional fixture. Hansi Flick's title-bound side can extend that advantage to nine points when they take on Espanyol on Saturday. While there is still time for Madrid to mount a comeback, Los Blancos are widely believed to have already conceded the title race.
Refereeing bias is cited as one of Madrid's chief explanations for their underwhelming campaign, though it is also acknowledged that the squad's own performances have fallen short of expectations.
As they set their sights on recapturing the title next season, Madrid will maintain their pressure on the RFEF in pursuit of sweeping reforms that, in their view, would eliminate any of the alleged favoritism.