Real Madrid TV brands Mbappe penalty row a ‘technical error’ after Betis defeat

Real Madrid TV has criticised the refereeing after Kylian Mbappe’s stoppage-time penalty was saved in Real Madrid’s 1-0 defeat by Real Betis, insisting the kick should have been retaken because a Betis player encroached into the area.

The incident has become one of the most contentious moments of the opening rounds of the new La Liga season, according to Spanish newspaper AS.

Real Madrid players protested after Betis goalkeeper saved Mbappe’s effort in the 94th minute. They argued that a Betis player had entered the penalty area before the French striker took the kick.

The referee decided not to order a retake, with the decision understood to have been based on his interpretation of the incident. Real Betis held on to win 1-0.

The controversy came shortly after Real Madrid had a goal scored by Carlos Espi disallowed, adding to the frustration surrounding the closing stages of the match.

Real Madrid’s official television channel subsequently launched a strong criticism of the officials’ handling of the penalty. It argued that the right foot of a defender was on the penalty-area line when Mbappe struck the ball before the player moved into the area, directly influencing the outcome of the attack.

The channel also highlighted Hector Bellerin, saying that one of his feet was touching the line at the moment the penalty was taken.

Real Madrid TV described the decision as a “contradiction by the referee” under the relevant laws of the game. It also expressed disbelief “that a referee does not know his own regulations”, adding: “This is a technical error”.

The channel went further in its criticism, saying: “If this had happened with Barcelona, the penalty would have been retaken, and if Espi’s goal had been scored by Barcelona, perhaps it would not have been disallowed.”

It also claimed that the penalty incident had not been dealt with “because of oversight or incompetence”.

In its detailed assessment, the channel repeated: “The infringement (during the taking of the penalty) was not penalised either because of forgetfulness or incompetence.”

The refereeing team maintained that Marc Bartra had not stepped on the line before the penalty was taken. However, Real Madrid TV argued that even if Bartra had not made contact with the line, his forward movement and intervention had a direct effect on the play.

The channel also questioned why video assistant referee Iglesias Villanueva did not alert the on-field referee, Hernandez Hernandez, to review the incident. It stressed that the referee on the pitch remained the official with the final decision.

Real Madrid TV concluded its reaction to the disputed decision with a clear verdict: “The penalty should have been retaken.”

The result left Real Madrid beaten by Real Betis in a match dominated after the final whistle by debate over the disallowed goal, the saved penalty and the officials’ interpretation of the laws.