Munuera Montero’s penalty for Mbappe against Racing Santander sparks fresh debate

The controversy surrounding Kylian Mbappe’s penalty for Real Madrid against Racing Santander has intensified after refereeing expert Pedro Martin said the contact inside the area was not enough to justify a spot-kick.

Referee Munuera Montero awarded the penalty after Mbappe went to ground following a light collision with a Racing Santander defender. The France forward converted from the spot to give Real Madrid the lead.

Although several analysts have criticised the decision, they have also acknowledged how difficult it would have been for the referee to reverse his call once he had blown the whistle.

Speaking to Cadena COPE, Martin questioned whether the incident met the threshold for a foul. He said he understood why Munuera Montero had made the decision, given the identity of the player involved, but felt the home side should not have been punished with a penalty.

“If a player like him jumps, he is looking for a problem,” Martin said.

The analyst was referring to the way Mbappe reacted to the contact before falling inside the penalty area. In his view, the challenge did not amount to sufficient contact for a penalty to be awarded.

Martin nevertheless said the referee’s decision became difficult to change after he had interpreted the incident as a foul and stopped play.

“The referee saw a slight contact and blew the whistle. That’s all. He made a mistake,” he added.

His comments have added to the criticism directed at Munuera Montero, with more than one analyst arguing that the contact with Mbappe was too minor to warrant a spot-kick.

The incident has continued to attract attention because the penalty had a direct impact on the match, with Mbappe successfully taking responsibility and putting Real Madrid ahead.

The fixture information listed alongside the report includes AEK Athens in the Champions League on 04 November 2026. Real Madrid are also scheduled to face Malaga in La Liga on 07 November 2026, while Racing Santander is listed in the same fixture information.