Xabi Alonso Explodes in Furious Rant Following Crushing Real Madrid Loss

Xabi Alonso delivered a scathing critique of the referee who officiated Real Madrid's surprising loss to Celta Vigo in La Liga on Sunday.

Alonso expressed his strong disapproval of match official Quintero González's performance, stating he "despised" it after the referee dismissed Fran García, Alvaro Carreras and Endrick during a contentious 90-minute encounter—though Endrick's red card came while he was on the substitutes' bench, so it didn't further diminish Real Madrid's playing strength.

Combined with the two yellow cards issued to García and Carreras, plus one shown to Alonso himself for vehement protests, the official handed out eight cautions to Los Blancos.

Carreras, Rodrygo and Federico Valverde received bookings for dissent in the final moments, while Jude Bellingham was cautioned for returning to the field without authorization after receiving medical treatment—a routine penalty for such an infraction. Nevertheless, Real disputed this decision given that his departure from the pitch resulted from an unpunished Celta elbow that left him bloodied.

"The referee's choices infuriated us," Alonso stated afterward.

"Carreras' dismissal was something he was obviously seeking. He allowed Celta to delay the game, never cautioned them about it, continuously halted play... I despised his display.

"Things spiraled out of hand."

Celta held a 1–0 advantage when Carreras received his marching orders as emotions reached boiling point, subsequently extending their lead deep into added time as Williot Swedberg netted his second strike of the contest.

With tensions remaining high in the Santiago Bernabéu tunnel following the final whistle, González's match report claims that injured Real Madrid skipper Dani Carvajal confronted him, saying: "The standard you're operating at... and then weeping at a press conference."

Real Madrid's Strained Recent Relationship With Officials

Real Madrid have frequently alleged unfair treatment from referees in recent seasons, with Real Madrid TV gaining notoriety for producing content that examines various officials and emphasizes their errors.

During the previous campaign, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea broke down in tears at a heartfelt press conference due to accusations that Barcelona enjoys a high success rate in matches he oversees, after being selected to referee the Copa del Rey final between the Catalan side and the Madrid club. Real Madrid had previously lodged a formal complaint with Spain's High Council for Sports several months earlier, claiming that officiating in the nation is "manipulated."

In this instance, there was little room for complaint regarding García's expensive dismissal, which occurred while Real were already behind and pursuing an equalizer. The left-back was culpable for two careless tackles, with the second following almost immediately after the first.

Television footage captured Alonso's response as García departed the field, clearly showing the manager's immense frustration with the indiscipline he had just witnessed. "Don't mess with me!" were reportedly the words he shouted from the technical area.

Alonso Seeks to Eliminate 'Bitter Feeling' Before Man City Clash

Alonso and his squad must rapidly refocus as the Champions League encounter with Manchester City at the Spanish capital approaches in the upcoming days.

He acknowledged that Real are "frustrated" about Sunday's events and it "wasn't the match or outcome we desired." He also lamented Éder Militão's injury that "damaged" the team and from which he said it "was difficult to bounce back."

Real Madrid currently occupy fifth position in the Champions League table with just three matchdays remaining in the league phase, but merely three points separate them from Galatasaray in 14th place, meaning significant stakes remain—only the top eight advance directly to the round of 16, while the following 16 best teams must compete in an additional knockout playoff.

"We must progress as rapidly as possible," Alonso declared.

"There's plenty of [La Liga] remaining, and on Wednesday we face the City match in the Champions League to respond, and eliminate the bitter feeling from our experience."