Real Madrid’s home match against Girona in La Liga’s 31st round was marred by late refereeing controversy. The Royal Club claimed a penalty when French star Kylian Mbappé went down in the box, but referee Albarrán Rojo waved play on.
The Frenchman collided with Brazilian defender Vitor Reis in the 87th minute and went to ground, yet referee Albertola Rojas waved play on. Neither the on-field official nor the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) reviewed the incident, despite fierce protests from Real Madrid players and supporters.
Marca reported shock and frustration in the Real Madrid dressing room, with officials unable to comprehend how a clear penalty had been missed and why VAR had not prompted a review.
After the Morocco-Senegal crisis... Africa is changing forever
Bayern Munich suffer a major blow as their star player is ruled out of the clash with Real Madrid.
Enzo Fernández cools Madrid’s hopes, while his agent ends the Chelsea speculation.
Reactions within the club were swift and sharp, with Álvaro Arbeloa stating during the post-match press conference—following a draw that effectively ended the team’s title hopes—that: “That’s a penalty here and on the moon.” The club’s official channel also weighed in, denouncing the incident as the latest in a series of controversial refereeing errors.
The Real Madrid manager echoed these sentiments, calling the penalty call the latest in a string of controversial refereeing decisions. “It happens week after week,” he said. No one understands when the VAR intervenes; it steps in when it pleases and ignores incidents when it doesn’t suit. For me, it was a clear foul.”
He also highlighted earlier controversies, such as the Real Mallorca game and the controversial red-card reversal in Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid.
Real Madrid is stepping up its campaign for a radical refereeing reform in Spain, with club officials arguing that recent tweaks—such as appointing Fran Soto as head of the Referees’ Technical Committee—are cosmetic and miss the underlying issue.
From La Masia to the stands... What is happening with Hamza Abdelkarim?
Paris Saint-Germain has swooped to secure a player Barcelona had been tracking.
Free transfers... Real Madrid and Barcelona duo headline the Golden Line-up.
Marca reports that the players accept they must raise their game in such fixtures, yet they still believe refereeing decisions frequently go against them—a sentiment that echoes through Valdebebas, especially in domestic competitions. By contrast, they accept that Champions League officiating can be error-prone yet impartial.
With their La Liga title hopes now slim, the squad has swiftly shifted its focus to the forthcoming trip to Munich, where a European triumph still feels within reach. They still hope to overturn the first-leg deficit, even though club history shows no successful European comeback after a home loss.
The draw with Girona failed to lift spirits before the trip to Germany, yet the belief that European refereeing is less biased than domestic officiating still fuels their optimism heading into the decisive second leg.