Real Madrid Criticizes Referee After Derby Loss to Atlético

Real Madrid issued a strong criticism of referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias following their 2-1 defeat to Atlético Madrid in the Madrid derby at the Metropolitano. The club described Ortiz Arias’ officiating as a “dreadful refereeing performance,” asserting that his decisions significantly influenced the match's outcome.

Real Madrid contended that Cristian “Cuti” Romero should have received a red card for stepping on Jude Bellingham’s knee, especially since Ortiz Arias reviewed the incident on the pitchside monitor but only issued a yellow card. Additionally, Real Madrid pointed out a challenge by Kang-In Lee on Federico Valverde, claiming that Lee also should have been sent off.

The official statement from Real Madrid emphasized that these decisions had a crucial impact on the match, which ultimately ended in favor of Atlético Madrid in the second half. Following this defeat, Real Madrid found themselves six points behind Barcelona, while Atlético Madrid climbed above their city rivals in the league standings.