'They must have turned VAR on late' - Carlo Ancelotti explains protest that landed him yellow card as Real Madrid coach says 'there is a problem' with refereeing in La Liga after controversial draw with Osasuna

Real Madrid endured a frustrating afternoon in La Liga as they were held to a 1-1 draw against Osasuna. They had taken an early lead through Kylian Mbappe, but their search for a second goal was met with frustration, as referee Munuera Montero dismissed three strong penalty appeals. Madrid's calls for fouls on Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham, along with a handball inside the Osasuna penalty area by Alejandro Catena, were all ignored.

The tension escalated in the 39th minute when Bellingham was shown a straight red card for dissent. The English midfielder, clearly frustrated by the referee’s decisions, voiced his displeasure while Madrid were preparing to take a goal kick. Munuera Montero wasted no time in brandishing the red card, leaving Madrid a man down for the remainder of the game. This controversial dismissal further angered Ancelotti, who believed Bellingham’s sending-off was harsh and only added to what he saw as one-sided officiating.

While Madrid’s three penalty claims were ignored, the referee did consult VAR in the second half—but it was to award a penalty to Osasuna. Eduardo Camavinga was judged to have stomped on Ante Budimir’s foot inside the box, prompting VAR intervention.

Ancelotti, already furious over the Bellingham incident, was cautioned for protesting and he later explained to reporters: "I told him there was a handball in the box that had to be reviewed by the VAR, but they must have turned it on later."

This is not the first time Madrid have had issues with refereeing decisions. Earlier in February, the club officially complained about the standard of officiating in La Liga, citing inconsistencies in decision-making.

Ancelotti expressed his frustration about officiating and said: "Strange things have happened in these three games that everyone has seen. I don't feel like adding more. Everyone saw that the VAR didn't go in to look at plays in their area but they did in ours. There is a problem. Something has happened that shouldn't happen. We must fight and continue."

Despite the setback, Madrid remain at the top of La Liga, maintaining their position in what is shaping up to be a closely contested title race. They currently sit on 51 points, just one ahead of Atletico Madrid and three clear of Barcelona, who still have a game in hand.