Racing Santander captain questions Mbappe penalty decision in Real Madrid defeat

Racing Santander captain Inigo Sainz-Maza has criticised the decision to award Kylian Mbappe a penalty during his side’s 3-0 defeat by Real Madrid, insisting the incident did not warrant a foul.

Sainz-Maza said the contact was minimal and questioned why the video assistant referee did not intervene to overturn the decision.

“For us, it cannot be considered a penalty in any way,” he said after the match. “We watched the replay several times and there was very little contact. We do not believe it should have been given. I think anyone who has played football knows it was not a penalty.”

The Racing Santander captain also referred to a separate incident involving his own team. A penalty awarded to Racing Santander was later overturned, a decision Sainz-Maza suggested may have been correct, but he said the contrasting use of VAR was difficult to understand.

“The referee can make a mistake, but we also do not understand why the video assistant referee did not intervene to correct the decision, as happened with the penalty awarded to us and then cancelled,” he added. “Perhaps cancelling it was the right decision.”

Real Madrid were the more dominant side during the first half, according to Sainz-Maza, but he felt Racing Santander improved significantly after the interval.

He said his team showed greater personality and courage after the break, becoming more willing to ask for the ball and move into Real Madrid’s half. That change in approach led to a number of dangerous moments, including the incident when Racing Santander appealed for a penalty, as well as several shots and other attacking attempts.

Sainz-Maza also spoke about the injury suffered by team-mate Alvaro Mantilla, who was substituted in the 29th minute.

The captain said he hoped the problem would prove to be only a temporary concern and that Mantilla would be available to Racing Santander throughout the season.

The fixtures listed alongside the match include AEK Athens in the Champions League on 04 November 2026, followed by Real Madrid against Malaga in La Liga on 07 November 2026. Racing Santander are also listed for a fixture on 07 November 2026.