Real Madrid slammed for for 'stupid' reaction to Eduardo Camavinga red card against Bayern Munich as former star launches scathing attack

Madrid suffered a dramatic European elimination after Camavinga was shown a second yellow card for time-wasting in the final minutes against Bayern. The French midfielder had only been on the pitch for 25 minutes before his dismissal left the 15-time champions vulnerable to late strikes from Luis Diaz and Michael Olise. Following the 6-4 aggregate defeat, the Madrid players and technical staff surrounded referee Slavko Vincic to protest the decision.

The former Netherlands international expressed his disbelief at the lack of professionalism shown by the French midfielder on such a high-stakes stage. He insisted that the responsibility for the exit lay with the player's decision-making rather than the officiating.

Questioning the team's choice to confront the referee after the final whistle, Sneijder said on Ziggo Sport: "This should not happen at this level. It is stupidity. We were all expecting extra time; you could feel it from both teams. It is incomprehensible that he does this while already having a yellow card in his pocket. There is something I don't understand at all: that they are angry with the referee when what they should be doing is going into the dressing room and speaking with Camavinga, not the official."

The record European winners have been eliminated in the Champions League quarter-finals in back-to-back seasons, marking a startling dip in their continental standards. Remarkably, the club have failed to reach the semi-finals as many times in the last two seasons as they did in the previous 14 editions combined between 2010-11 and 2023-24. This unexpected period of underperformance has left Madrid searching for answers after a decade of unprecedented success.

Alvaro Arbeloa’s side must now recover from their European heartbreak as they return to La Liga action against Deportivo Alaves next Tuesday. Currently trailing leaders Barcelona by nine points with seven games remaining, the squad has reached a point where any further slip-ups will end their title aspirations. The players need to rediscover their defensive discipline and mental resilience following a chaotic week that has left their season hopes resting entirely on a domestic comeback.