Real Madrid’s official television channel has launched a strong criticism of the refereeing during the club’s opening La Liga match against Espanyol, claiming the officials were too lenient over forceful challenges on Vinicius Junior.
Real Madrid began their league campaign last Saturday with an away meeting against Espanyol in Barcelona. The Spanish champions won the match 2-1, with the decisive goal coming from Espe in the closing stages.
Vinicius Junior was a central figure throughout the contest, both because of his involvement in the match and his repeated confrontations with Espanyol players and supporters.
According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Real Madrid TV has revived its familiar post-match videos questioning refereeing decisions after the club’s first league fixture of the season.
The channel directed its criticism at Sanchez Martinez, who was the referee on the pitch, and Figueroa Vazquez, the official responsible for the video assistant referee system.
Real Madrid TV argued that Espanyol player Cala should have been sent off. It criticised the match officials for failing to show him a yellow card after what it described as a forceful challenge on Vinicius Junior in the third minute.
“[Sanchez Martinez] did not show him a yellow card. This was the first major decision made by the referee from Murcia, and he would continue in the same way, alongside Figueroa Vazquez on VAR,” the video stated.
It added: “The referees were far too lenient with the violent fouls committed by Espanyol players, especially those suffered by Vinicius.”
The Real Madrid channel’s report also sought to defend Vinicius, saying the Brazil international had been repeatedly fouled in an effort to disrupt his performance.
“He was the target of many fouls designed to ‘take him out of the game’, and time and again they ended without a yellow card being shown,” the channel’s representatives said.
Real Madrid TV compared the challenge by Cala with an incident involving Lamine Yamal during his team’s match against Elche.
“Fouls on Lamine are punished with a yellow card at the slightest touch,” it said.
The channel then argued that Cala should have received a red card for a later challenge on Carreras. Real Madrid TV viewed that incident as worthy of a second yellow card, based on its belief that Cala’s earlier challenge on Vinicius should also have resulted in a booking.
“If the first challenge had been punished with a yellow card, Cala would have been sent off for the second incident,” the report suggested.
The video concluded by emphasising that the Espanyol player received no yellow card in either situation.
Real Madrid’s television channel has regularly used post-match analysis to highlight decisions it believes have gone against the club. In this case, its focus was the treatment of Vinicius and the failure to impose what it considered appropriate disciplinary sanctions during a match won by Real Madrid in Barcelona.
