15/12/2024–|Last updated: 12/15/202403:25 PM (Mecca time)
Referee Juan Martinez Munuera, who officiated the match between Real Madrid and host Rayo Vallecano, sparked widespread controversy because he did not award a penalty kick to Brazilian Vinicius Junior, the Merengue star.
Rayo Vallecano imposed an exciting draw on its neighbor, Real Madrid, with a score of (3-3) in the match that was held yesterday at the Teresa Rivero Stadium in the 17th round of La Liga.
The “Royal Club” called for a penalty kick in the 75th minute due to interference by Ghanaian Rayo Vallecano defender Abdul Momen on Vinicius’ foot, but Munuera and his teammates in the VAR video technology room agreed to continue playing, a decision that sparked a difference of opinion among arbitration experts in Spain. .
Perez Burol, the refereeing expert, believes on Radio Marca that the referee made the correct decision to continue playing, as he analyzed the shot by saying, “There was a competition for the ball between 3 players, and the defender cleared the ball. What happened next happened because the striker extended his leg while the Rayo defender tried to clear the ball.” “.
However, the “Archivo Far” account, which specializes in analyzing arbitration cases in the Spanish League, disagreed with this opinion and confirmed that Real Madrid deserved to receive a penalty kick.
Through his account on the “X” platform, he showed 4 photos of the controversial situation and commented on them, “The defender (Rayo Vallecano) tried to clear the ball and while doing so, he hit Vinicius’ right leg inside the penalty area. It is a penalty.”
He added, “Referee Munuera did not evaluate the shot as required, while the VAR crew denied Vinicius a penalty kick.”
The same account touched on the same shot, as many believe that Real Madrid does not deserve a penalty kick, given that Englishman Jude Bellingham, the Real Madrid player, was the one who kicked his teammate Vinicius.
He asked, “Does Billingham’s kick to Rayo defender Vinicius absolve him of the fact that he committed a mistake?” Then he explained, “It is clear that Bellingham’s kick is not a violation, but Abdul’s subsequent kick is considered a violation. The first intervention from a teammate does not absolve the opponent from committing a violation.”
At the same time, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti believes that his team was deprived of a “clear” penalty kick, as he said after the match in a press conference, “The penalty kick against Vinicius is clear.”
Yellow card for Vinicius
In the same match, Munuera showed the yellow card to Vinicius after his “exaggerated” protest against one of the decisions, which is the fifth yellow card for the Brazilian star in La Liga since the start of the current season 2024-2025.
Consequently, Vinicius will miss Real Madrid’s last match of the current year, which is scheduled against Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium next Sunday in the 18th round of the Spanish League.
Real Madrid raised its score to 37 points, keeping it temporarily in second place, one point behind leaders Barcelona, who play tonight against Leganes in the same round, noting that Real Madrid has a postponed match.
