The first half of the derby between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano crackled with tension. Clashes, frictions and heavy challenges dominated proceedings, with Real Madrid's players protesting a string of refereeing decisions.
Two challenges in particular drew Real's fury. Their players felt Cuti Romero and Kang-in Lee had committed fouls deserving of harsher punishment, and the objections rumbled on throughout the first half.
Shortly before the interval, Kang-in Lee flew into a violent challenge from behind on Federico Valverde in midfield, right in front of referee Ortiz Arias. He awarded a free-kick to Real Madrid but declined to show the Atletico man a yellow card.
Television replays told a different story. The Korean's challenge caught Valverde directly on the ankle, twisting it on contact, and the Real Madrid player turned to protest the incident while the referee settled for the foul.
That decision raised questions about the appropriate punishment. Arias could not fully gauge the force of the contact in the moment, and only the replay laid bare the true details of the challenge.
