Amazing. Though, to be fair, if a two-game ban for Vazquez holds up, that is something. It's also something that entering to dissent is worse than Mbappe's tackle.
I don't even understand the logic of the Bellingham reversal? Like the referee completely lied about what happened? The same player who probably tells the referee "******** you" and "******** off" at least once a game didn't aggressively come at the referee after the game? I guess they can't have Bellingham be rusty for the El Clasico so instead of potentially having to give him one game instead of two they just asked the referee "you sure that's what happened...? Hint, hint..."
It's actually worse than that. The final report says the administrator reviewed the video and didn't agree with the referee that Bellingham was aggressive or needed to be held back by his teammates because he greeted a Barcelona player calmly...
So Real Madrid is still being Real Madrid here: https://pamfleti.net/english/sport/...-clasico-s-alehandro-hernandez-eshte--i279151 https://en.as.com/soccer/real-madrids-worrying-record-with-upcoming-clasico-referee-n/
why anyone would want to referee in La liga is beyond me. I’m sure the pay is good, and there are opportunities for professional recognition on the world stage but it’s certain that some clubs will whip up hatred toward you.
I know it will never happen and isn’t feasible, but maybe if Spanish refs had the courage, they could all band together and strike against Real Madrid for as long as they continue this intimidation campaign. I mean the CDR final with the referee in tears because of their tactics should have been a breaking point, but if he would have refused to work it, some other ref would have gladly taken it. Let RM have to have a Liga 2 referee crew, or Liga 3, or Liga femenil. Maybe the entire RFEF pyramid refuse to work their game and RM has to hire a referee crew from one of the other European league just for their game, like Saudi Arabia when they call in Michael Oliver
I’m not a big fan of direct action. But I think it’s reaching the point where that’s the only thing that would matter. It’s pretty amazing how Real is approaching this. Of course, the problem is that if referees take an action against Real, they are legitimizing or validating the arguments Real is making. It’s what makes these accusations so sinister. They are impossible to combat without a blanket and uncompromising response.
Ok the game itself, how does Tchoumeni stay on the field after that blatant DOGSO 37’? Crazy not review there. And Mbappe got a penalty rescinded by VAR for a clear dive, but it doesn’t look like he was booked? These should not be difficult decisions! They wouldn’t even be controversial with the sanest 90% of Real fans.
That supposed handball around 80' is never a PK for me. (And I did think the Arsenal one this week was a clear PK.)
Rejected OFR in the 83rd minute for handball. No-penalty is he final decision. Arm is a bit away from the body but not at a big angle. On balance, I have a handball there, because he takes a risk by putting his arm wide of his body to create a barrier and increase the surface area of his silhouette, but not sure it’s a clear and obvious error to not give it.
Not a fan of the handball decision to disallow the 5-3 goal either. Arm is a completely natural position, got it kicked at him from less than a yard away, and then still had to dispossess the opponent and dribble ten yards before scoring. That is not immediate.
For reference, Rejected penalty appeal at 16:20 against Madrid. OFR disallowed goal for handball at 18:20. I am very curious about the opinions on this one.
I don't think there's any question 16:20 is correctly decided. Every single buzzword or phrase or factor is in the defender's favor there. I don't understand how there's an intervention at 18:20 though, other than the fear of appearances. For an accidental handball to apply there, it has to be immediate--and that's not immediate. So the officiating team is saying that's a punishable handball which is, well, quite a stretch. Also, not for anything but the handball itself gives the ball to Real Madrid; the attacker has to then win the ball back. If anything, the handball initially disadvantaged Barcelona. And I think you can make a technical argument that it's not even in the APP as the handball has to be part of continued possession or the way in which possession was gained--neither is actually true here. Aside from "oh crap, we can't have this go 5-3 on a handball like this," I don't get it.
Szczesny didn't get a yellow on the penalty he conceded. It's really remarkable how we've gone from one extreme of having yellow cards, at minimum, be given for every foul to now almost not giving misconduct for anything no matter how what box it checks off. I get the argument for no DOGSO yellow because of direction, but it's reckless still.
It's the inconsistent treatment of the two ball-to-hand incidents that is annoying. They are either both fouls, or neither are fouls. I think neither one was a handling foul.
It sure looks to me like there was an offside on the through ball leading to the first PK. I don’t know why the VAR went check complete. Do they have SAOT in La Liga? I’ve also seen that it was deemed a deliberate play by the defender, but that seems a surprising call imo.
If I understand correctly the conversation the RFEF shares in the video below, Hernández Hernández decides the arm is in an unnatural position. If there was a discussion or evaluation of the APP, it is not shared here.
The argument on the APP is going to be that it was a very brief loss of possession and that Real did nothing to advance or clear the ball. Which is true. You could have a situation like this where the APP doesn't reset. Think about a very similar play to this, right in the defensive penalty area; a turnover into immediate attacking pressure wouldn't reset the APP. But here? The fact that the alleged punishable handball is what turned possession over and it's out on the wing like that... I stick by what I wrote above. Well, that and it's a garbage call to say that's a punishable handball.
That’s because it was offside, which I think they check first. Admittedly I thought it was onside until the SAOT replay (off by 2-3”).