Real Madrid lost 2-0 to their traditional rivals Barcelona on Sunday evening in Matchday 35 of La Liga.
The match was officiated by referee Alejandro Hernández, who showed five yellow cards over the 90 minutes.
In the 54th minute, Real Madrid players appealed for a penalty after a challenge by Eric García on Jude Bellingham inside the area. However, the referee ignored their claims and signaled to play on.
The “Archivo VAR” account on X, which specializes in controversial refereeing decisions, stated that Real Madrid did not deserve a penalty. According to the account, “Eric García tried to protect his position by opening his arm excessively, hitting Bellingham in the face with his elbow.” The account stressed that the incident was not a penalty, VAR did not intervene, and the referee did not see the infringement on the pitch.
However, Iturralde González, a refereeing expert for AS newspaper and Cadena SER radio, argued that it was a penalty because “García raised his elbow.” He added, “There is a movement of the elbow toward the face. Eric García started the play with his arm lowered, then saw Bellingham coming and raised it, so a penalty should have been awarded.” He emphasized, “When the challenge is merely reckless, VAR does not intervene, but when it is dangerously reckless, it should intervene. Any movement where the elbow goes toward the face is considered a dangerous challenge.”
