Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has openly criticized La Liga officiating after his side was held to a frustrating 1-1 draw against Osasuna. The Italian coach was left furious with referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero, who dismissed three strong penalty appeals from Madrid while later awarding one to Osasuna via VAR.
Madrid took an early lead through Kylian Mbappe, but their search for a second goal was continuously thwarted. Three separate penalty claims—for fouls on Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham, as well as a handball inside the Osasuna box by Alejandro Catena—were all ignored by the referee.
The situation worsened for Los Blancos in the 39th minute when Jude Bellingham received a controversial straight red card for dissent. The English midfielder, visibly frustrated with the referee’s decisions, voiced his complaints while Madrid were preparing for a goal kick. Munuera Montero immediately brandished the red card, leaving Madrid with ten men for the remainder of the match.
The officiating inconsistencies didn’t stop there. While Madrid’s penalty appeals were disregarded, the referee did consult VAR in the second half—this time to penalize Eduardo Camavinga for a foul on Ante Budimir. After reviewing the incident, VAR determined that Camavinga had stomped on Budimir’s foot inside the box, leading to a penalty for Osasuna.
Ancelotti, already incensed by Bellingham’s red card, was cautioned for protesting on the touchline. Speaking after the game, the Madrid boss didn’t hold back:
“I told him there was a handball in the box that had to be reviewed by the VAR, but they must have turned it on later.”
Real Madrid has had multiple issues with refereeing this season. Earlier in February, the club officially lodged a complaint about the declining standard of officiating in La Liga, highlighting inconsistencies in decision-making.
Ancelotti doubled down on his frustration, insisting that something is wrong with the way La Liga is officiated:
“Strange things have happened in these three games that everyone has seen. I don’t feel like adding more. Everyone saw that the VAR didn’t go in to look at plays in their area but they did in ours. There is a problem. Something has happened that shouldn’t happen. We must fight and continue.”
Despite the setback, Real Madrid remain at the top of La Liga with 51 points, holding a narrow one-point lead over Atletico Madrid and a three-point advantage over Barcelona, who still have a game in hand. However, the controversial refereeing decisions could prove costly in what is shaping up to be a fiercely competitive title race.
