Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid: Los Blancos Slam “Catastrophic” Refereeing After Madrid Derby Defeat

Real Madrid have issued a scathing official statement after falling 2-1 to Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano, publicly blasting referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias for a performance the club labelled “very terrible refereeing.”

What Happened on the Pitch

Goals from Alejandro Grimaldo and Jonathan David put Diego Simeone’s side firmly in control, before Antonio Rüdiger’s late consolation made it 2-1. Real played most of the second half a man down after Dean Huijsen was shown a straight red card for a last-man challenge.

Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid: Two Controversial Incidents

Real Madrid’s statement zeroed in on two first-half flashpoints. In the 35th minute, Cuti Romero was initially booked for stepping on Jude Bellingham’s knee — but after a VAR review, referee Ortiz Arias downgraded the card from Bellingham to Romero instead of issuing a red card. Nine minutes later, Kang-in Lee escaped any card at all for a challenge that struck Federico Valverde’s left ankle, with VAR not recommending a review.

Real Madrid’s Official Statement

“Real Madrid lose the derby at the Metropolitano in a match marked by Ortiz Arias’ VERY TERRIBLE REFEREEING. He failed to send off Cuti Romero in the first half for stepping on Bellingham’s knee (despite going to the monitor to review the incident), nor did he send off Kang-In Lee for stepping on Valverde’s left ankle. Both decisions had an impact on the match, which was ultimately decided in Atlético’s favor in the second half.”

The Fallout

Manager Jose Mourinho echoed the club’s frustration post-match, pointing to VAR official Trujillo Suárez’s “complete history” with Real Madrid matches. The defeat leaves Real six points behind Barcelona in the La Liga table, while Atletico leapfrog their city rivals into second place, as both sides now head into the international break.

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