The anger inside Real Madrid after the goalless draw in Vallecas is absolute. The club believes that Martínez Munuera’s refereeing had a decisive impact on an already uninspired performance from Xabi Alonso’s team, particularly due to two controversial incidents inside Rayo Vallecano’s penalty area. In the first half, Chavarría grabbed Bellingham, and in the final minutes, he did the same to Mbappé. From Madrid’s perspective, both situations were clear penalties that should have been reviewed by VAR. However, neither Munuera nor VAR official Figueroa Vázquez intervened.

The club is baffled by Figueroa Vázquez’s decision not to recommend a monitor review, especially in the case of Bellingham, who ended up with his shirt torn and number ripped off after being held. Within Madrid, the view is that the incident was “clear and objective”—and at the very least, deserved on-field review.

There’s also a measure of self-criticism within the club, acknowledging that the team’s performance has dropped in the past week, first against Liverpool and then against Rayo Vallecano. Yet, this inconsistency makes it even harder to accept that two missed penalty calls denied them a win on an off night, costing them two valuable points that “could prove decisive at the end of the season.”

Real Madrid TV also maintained a highly critical stance after the match, continuing its tone since the Negreira case began. While the channel didn’t ignore the team’s poor showing, it repeatedly highlighted the two penalty incidents as serious refereeing mistakes. Inside the club, the sentiment is unanimous: the team played poorly, but the refereeing—especially VAR’s inaction—was decisive. Real Madrid’s frustration with the officiating remains at an all-time high.

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