The refereeing committee in Spain has endorsed the decision to issue a red card to Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde during the club’s 3-2 derby victory against Atlético Madrid on Sunday.
Referee José Luis Munuera issued the red card in the 77th minute of the LaLiga match held at the Bernabéu, penalizing Valverde for a tackle on Atlético’s Álex Baena. This left Madrid to fend off Atlético with just ten players while leading by a single goal.
In their weekly review of officiating decisions, the CTA confirmed on Tuesday that Munuera’s judgment—and the Video Assistant Referee’s choice not to intervene—was “appropriate.”
A spokesperson for the CTA stated, “In this situation, the Real Madrid player contested the ball in midfield. [Valverde] executed a challenge from behind, arriving late, and made contact with the ankle without a genuine chance to play the ball.”
“The referee issued a straight red card, interpreting the action as a kick at the opponent without a fair opportunity to play the ball, and with excessive force. The VAR team, after reviewing the footage from multiple angles, concluded that the point of contact, the nature of the challenge, and the intensity aligned with serious foul play.”
“They decided not to intervene, as there was no clear and obvious error in the referee’s decision. According to the CTA, both the on-field decisions and those from the VAR were valid.”
Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa expressed his disagreement with Munuera’s ruling after the match, despite the referee’s attempt to clarify his reasoning on the sidelines.
“I have a different perspective than José Luis,” Arbeloa remarked. “He said it was excessive force, but I did not perceive it that way. Similar challenges happen regularly, and there was no intention to injure [Baena]. However, I appreciate his explanation.”
In response, Atlético Madrid posted an ironic message on social media later that day, highlighting several contentious decisions from the match that they felt were unfavorable.
“After two days during which ‘the machinery’ focused on a specific play that was confirmed today, a question emerges,” the club stated. “How can a derby conclude with only two fouls? We analyze it in our ‘Tiempo de Revisión.’
The 3-2 comeback victory for Madrid over their city rivals maintains a four-point gap behind first-place Barcelona in LaLiga for Arbeloa’s side.