SUMMARY
- Real Madrid defeated Almeria 3-2, but the result was tainted by the strange officiating that led to a lot of rumors about possible VAR bias in favor of the white team.
- The midfielder of Real Madrid, Jude Bellingham seemed upset with the referee not calling a foul when jude was left with stud marks from a Almeria player.
The Real Madrid match against Almeria in La Liga generated a lot of talk. On January 21st, the team defeated Almeria 3-2, but the result was tainted by the strange officiating that led to a lot of rumors about possible VAR bias in favor of the white team.
However, on the other hand, the soccer star midfielder of Real Madrid, Jude Bellingham seemed upset with the referee regarding a particular decision. He told the referee, “I was fouled there.” The referee responded saying, “I agree with you.” “I don’t get a f*cking foul for you agreeing with me though? Same shit every week” said a disappointed Bellingham.
Jude Bellingham speaking to the referee at half-time and the referee admits he should have given a clear foul on Bellingham.
“Same shit every week.” 😂🤐
— TC (@totalcristiano) January 22, 2024
The referee ignored the stud marks left on Jude’s foot by an Almeria player standing on it in the first half of the match. The refereeing of this match stunned the soccer community, especially the VAR calls made during play. It remains to be seen what statement the La Liga provides to their fans regarding the controversial calls made by the referees during the match.
Barcelona manager Xavi takes a dig at the referees and VAR in La Liga
The manager of Barcelona, Xavi, made the shocking claim that Real Madrid defeated Almeria in an unfair match. On Sunday, January 21, Real Madrid surprised Los Rojiblancos 3-2 at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu to put more pressure on Girona, the leaders. The BBC reports that Jude Bellingham ignited the home team’s comeback after Largie Ramazani and Edgar Gonzalez’s goals had put them behind 2-0 at halftime.
Xavi: “Real Madrid vs Almeria? I have seen it. If we speak we are sanctioned, but everyone has seen it. I already said in Getafe that there were things that did not fit me in this league. There are things that We don’t control it and everyone has seen it. I remember the penalty… pic.twitter.com/K9nZQ9UxXA
— Castle of Madridistas (@CastleMadrid) January 21, 2024
However, according to Goal, Bellingham’s penalty caused a stir, and the Almeria team was incensed by several VAR decisions that favored Real Madrid. After receiving a red card in the match, coach Gaizka Garitano expressed his dissatisfaction with the decision, citing previous instances at Santiago Bernabeu.
Coach Gaizka Garitano was backed by Barcelona manager Xavi and he said, “They are not excuses, they are realities; 95th-minute situations that always come up with a cross… There are things that we do not control, everyone has seen it today,” Xavi said. This sparked a lot of controversy in the soccer community and also by the fans of other teams in La Liga.
Almeria players share their views on the controversial VAR calls during their match against Real Madrid
Real Madrid upset numerous stars from La Liga’s most unsuccessful squad with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Almeria. Drama and controversy abound in Madrid’s triumph over winless Almeria, which put them momentarily on top before Girona played. At the Santiago Bernabeu, when Madrid had trailed 2-0, Dani Carvajal crashed home the game-winning goal in the 99th minute to cap off an intense and incredibly entertaining match.
❗Audio leaked from the VAR in a play in which Vinicius elbows an Almeria player. The on-pitch referee Hernandez Hernandez saw the play and tells the VAR: “When Vinicius gets the player out of the way, he uses his arm and hits the player in the face. Yes… But well, come on,… pic.twitter.com/ZtqNaRCdRe
— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) January 22, 2024
However many Almeria players were left unhappy with the referring during the game. “(We leave) with the feeling we’ve been robbed,” Gonzalo Melero, an Almeria midfielder, objected. “I think that someone decided that we weren’t allowed to win here at Bernabéu today, and that’s what happened,” said Melero’s teammate and Almeria defender, Marc Pubill.
Instigating joyous celebrations following yet another incredible Madrid comeback, the England international assisted in creating the winner by directing the ball to Carvajal, who hammered it home. However, the soccer community as well as the fans in La Liga do not feel that this win was justified.