October 13
A Never-Ending Controversy
Referee Díaz de Mera’s officiating during the match between Real Madrid and Villarreal—which ended in a 1–0 victory for *Los Blancos*—sparked a wave of objections within the club and among its fanbase. The grievance stems from the number of cards shown to Real Madrid players and coaching staff relative to the number of fouls the team actually committed during the game.
The primary point of contention is that Real Madrid received five yellow cards and one red card despite committing only eight fouls, whereas Villarreal committed 13 fouls yet received just two yellow cards.
Critics argue that this disparity raises questions about the referee's management of the match; however, details from his report reveal another side of the story.
The red card issued to Vinícius Júnior for pulling Saliba’s hair is not a matter of genuine dispute within Real Madrid; the decision aligned with the rules of the game, and club officials do not believe the sending-off was the result of a refereeing error.
Consequently, the main objection focuses on the yellow cards awarded to the team, rather than the dismissal of the Brazilian star.
However, the referee's report clarifies that only two of the five yellow cards shown to Real Madrid players were for actual fouls—specifically those issued to Jude Bellingham and Ibrahima Konaté.
Regarding the French defender, Real Madrid intends to appeal the card; according to the club, television replays demonstrated that his challenge on Gerard Moreno did not warrant a booking. As for the other three yellow cards, they were not issued for on-field infractions committed by the players, but rather for disciplinary reasons.
Antonio Rüdiger received a card for dissent regarding the referee's decisions, while Kylian Mbappé and Aurélien Tchouaméni were booked for time-wasting.
The sanctions were not limited to the players; referee Díaz de Mera also issued yellow cards to José Mourinho and team delegate Chendo for dissent. Protests subsequently escalated, resulting in the sending-off of Nuno da Costa—Mourinho’s assistant—for disputing the referee's decisions.
Consequently, not all the cards that angered Real Madrid stemmed from on-field infractions. Of the seven yellow cards issued to the team's players and staff, five were for dissent, while the remaining two were for infractions committed by Bellingham and Konaté.
Nuno da Costa’s red card was also issued for dissent, whereas the sending-off of Vinícius remains a separate case, the validity of which the club does not dispute.
