The Spanish refereeing technical committee have ignored the incident involving Real Madrid player Arda Guler during the clash with Sevilla, sparking a fresh wave of controversy. The committee's programme "Review Time", which reviews clips from the La Liga round, contained no reference to the episode in which the Andalusian side's players demanded the sending off of the Turkish star.
The incident dates back to the match between Real Madrid and Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu, when Guler tried to free himself from his opponent's grip. He then moved his elbow and struck the Andalusian player, who fell to the ground.
Sevilla's players and coaching staff protested furiously, demanding a red card for the Real Madrid player. But referee Mateu Busquets Ferrer refused to punish Guler, and VAR official Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez never called him over to review the incident on the screen.
Sevilla's anticipation ends in disappointment
Anticipation grew sharper before the release of the new episode of "Review Time", in which the committee reviews the most notable controversial refereeing situations in the Spanish league.
Through posts on social media, Sevilla's official account had made clear it was waiting for clarification of what happened at the Bernabeu. One read: "We are eagerly looking forward to Review Time. We are counting the hours."
The episode published on Tuesday contained no reference to the contact between Guler and Pique. It was also devoid of any other clips from the Real Madrid and Sevilla match, despite the uproar of recent days.
Instead, the programme reviewed situations from Real Betis against Barcelona, Villarreal against Elche, and Osasuna against Racing Santander, plus a handful of matches from the Spanish second division. The flashpoint that topped the weekend's controversy went untouched.
Many had expected the committee to clarify the incident, particularly amid the wide debate over the filmed clips, camera angles and the extent of VAR intervention. By ignoring the situation altogether, the committee left serious questions hanging over its refereeing assessment.
So far, no official clarification has emerged from the committee on why the incident was left out. All eyes now turn to Sevilla, who may issue a fresh response to the programme's silence.