Real Madrid TV demands answers over Vinicius treatment in Espanyol victory

Real Madrid’s official television channel has launched a strong criticism of the refereeing in the club’s opening La Liga match against Espanyol, claiming officials were too lenient towards challenges on Vinicius Junior.

Real Madrid began their La Liga campaign against Espanyol in Barcelona on Saturday, securing a 2-1 victory after a late goal from Espe settled the match.

Vinicius was one of the central figures during the game, with several exchanges involving Espanyol players and supporters adding to the attention surrounding the Brazil forward.

According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Real Madrid TV resumed its familiar refereeing analysis videos after the match. The channel singled out referee Sanchez Martinez and VAR official Figueroa Vazquez for criticism.

Real Madrid TV argued that Cala should have been sent off after a forceful challenge on Vinicius in the third minute. The channel criticised Sanchez Martinez for failing to show the Espanyol player a yellow card for the incident.

The video said: “Sanchez Martinez did not show him a yellow card. This was the first major decision by the referee from Murcia, and he would continue in the same way, alongside Figueroa Vazquez in the VAR.”

It added: “The referees were extremely lenient with the violent fouls committed by Espanyol players, especially those suffered by Vinicius.”

The broadcast also sought to highlight what it viewed as the treatment received by Vinicius throughout the match. Real Madrid TV claimed that the forward was repeatedly fouled in an attempt to disrupt his performance, but that the challenges regularly went unpunished.

“He suffered many fouls aimed at ‘taking him out of the game’, which repeatedly ended without a yellow card being shown,” the channel’s officials said.

Real Madrid TV then compared the challenge by Cala with the way fouls involving Lamine Yamal have been officiated. Referring to the Barcelona player’s match against Elche, it said: “Fouls on Lamine are given a yellow card at the slightest contact.”

The channel also called for Cala to receive a red card for a heavy challenge on Carreras. It described the incident as worthy of a second yellow card, based on its view that Cala’s earlier challenge on Vinicius had already merited a booking.

That would have resulted in Cala being dismissed, but Real Madrid TV noted that the Espanyol player did not receive a yellow card for either incident.

The criticism forms part of Real Madrid TV’s continuing scrutiny of refereeing decisions involving the club. In this case, the channel’s focus was particularly on the number of challenges it believed Vinicius absorbed without disciplinary action.

Real Madrid nevertheless left Barcelona with all three points after winning 2-1, with the decisive goal arriving in the closing stages. The match’s outcome was overshadowed in part by Vinicius’ repeated confrontations with opponents and sections of the crowd, as well as the debate over the decisions made by Sanchez Martinez and Figueroa Vazquez.