For the second consecutive weekend, Real Madrid have ended a La Liga match feeling aggrieved by refereeing decisions. In Saturday’s Madrid derby, which ended in a 1-1 draw, Real Madrid believed that the penalty awarded to Atletico Madrid in the first half was an incorrect call.
This controversial decision left a sour taste, as the hosts felt the match was influenced by refereeing rather than being decided purely on performance.
Reflecting on the game, Real Madrid’s head coach, Carlo Ancelotti, expressed his belief that his team deserved all three points from their outing at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Speaking to Diario AS, he admitted that his side’s second-half performance warranted more than just a draw. “I think we deserved more. It was a very good game in the second half. The first one was totally different—we were slower. We came out with good feelings, especially for the second half.
The penalty situation affected the team. Before that, we played too slow. In the second half, we already took advantage of the width of the field. Vini and Rodrygo created a lot of danger on the wings,” Ancelotti said, praising the team’s improvement after halftime.
When it came to the refereeing controversies, Ancelotti was cautious with his words, refusing to dive deeply into the subject. “I don’t want to talk about the referee,” he stated. “The penalty was awarded by VAR.
The referee was very close and saw it well. I saw another penalty in Athletic-Girona… The people of football do not understand this.” His response hinted at frustration but also demonstrated a desire to avoid escalating an already contentious issue. “I don’t want to get into a controversy that is quite big. It was an even, competitive match. As I said, we came out of the game with a draw, but encouraged. The team was good in the second half.”
Additionally, Ancelotti addressed Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone’s claim that Barcelona are favorites to win La Liga this season. In response, Ancelotti remarked, “Everyone has their opinion. It’s going to be a very competitive league until the end.
We are happy, despite the difficulty we have. Before the match, there was an image of Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, and Rudiger greeting the teammates who entered the field. And that means that, despite the difficulties, we are doing very well.”
Ancelotti’s comments underline both his confidence in Real Madrid and his awareness of the challenges posed by rivals, refereeing decisions, and the competitive nature of La Liga.
