Real Madrid's take on the match: dreadful refereeing decided derby

Real Madrid stirred controversy following their 2-1 defeat to Atlético de Madrid in a derby match at the Metropolitano stadium. The Spanish giants released a strong statement on their website, stating bluntly: “A dreadful refereeing performance decided the derby.” The assertion directly criticized the performance of referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) official, Trujillo Suárez.

The report specifically highlighted the referee's reluctance to hand out red cards to the home side during the first half. The turning point arrived in the second half when a penalty was awarded to Atlético. Upon VAR intervention, the referee reportedly consulted the monitor and overturned his initial decision to dismiss Real Madrid centre-back Dean Huijsen with a straight red card.

This vehement publication sparked widespread reactions across Spanish football. While supporters of Real Madrid rallied behind the club's grievance, Atlético coach Diego Simeone urged for respect towards the referees' work. By placing this explicit headline on their official channels, Real Madrid has escalated institutional tensions and underscored a pattern of dissatisfaction with the refereeing standards they face in high-stakes games.