Madrid Derby Chaos: VAR Awards Atletico a Penalty, Ancelotti Responds

Carlo Ancelotti, Los Blancos’ coach, expressed his disappointment over the penalty decision that favoured Atletico Madrid in the 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu on Sunday, February 9, 2025. The clash between the two top teams in the La Liga standings turned controversial due to refereeing decisions that went against Real Madrid.

Julian Alvarez and Kylian Mbappe each scored, but Ancelotti focused on the referee’s errors, which he believed influenced the match’s outcome. In the 30th minute, Aurelien Tchouameni stepped on Samuel Lino’s foot inside the penalty box. Referee Cesar Soto Grado initially allowed play to continue, but after reviewing the incident on VAR’s recommendation, he awarded Atletico a penalty.

After the match, Ancelotti chose not to dwell on the controversy but admitted that the referee’s decisions frustrated football fans. "I don’t want to talk about the referee. VAR gave the penalty," the 65-year-old veteran said. "The referee stood close and saw the incident. I also watched another penalty decision in the Athletic-Girona game... Football fans don’t understand these calls.

"I won’t turn this into a big controversy. It was a balanced and competitive game. We got a draw but stayed motivated. The team played well in the second half."

Before this match, Real Madrid had already sent an official letter of complaint to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and the Spanish High Sports Council.

Their complaint addressed a refereeing decision in last week's 1-0 loss to Espanyol. Carlos Romero scored the only goal of that game, but Madrid believed the referee should have sent him off for a high tackle on Kylian Mbappe.

Instead, the referee gave Romero only a yellow card, and VAR upheld the decision. This incident further fueled Real Madrid’s frustration with recent officiating.

These questionable decisions not only influenced match results but also impacted the tight competition at the top of the La Liga standings.

The table toppers Real Madrid, determined to defend their lead, feels unfairly treated by inconsistent officiating. With the La Liga title race heating up, tensions between Madrid and the referees show no signs of cooling down.