Real Madrid News
UEFA sources clarify controversial referee call during Real Madrid vs Man City
Last night, Real Madrid and Manchester City played out a tightly-contested encounter that ended in a 1-1 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu.
With the first leg ending in a draw, both teams will head into the reverse fixture next week with no advantage as far as the scoreline is considered.
However, it could have been very different as Real Madrid could have finished last night’s game as winners.
In the buildup to Kevin De Bruyne’s goal in the second period, the ball appeared to have been out of play when Bernardo Silva controlled it and carried on.
The referee did not whistle and the play was allowed to continue, with De Bruyne eventually finding the back of the net with a scorching effort from just outside the box.
It sparked a lot of protests from Real Madrid players while Carlo Ancelotti, on the touchline, also argued about the decision, which even resulted in him being shown a yellow card.
The VAR also did not intervene, much to the frustration of Ancelotti, who pointed it out during his press conference, saying: “beIN showed the ball was out. We all saw it, 3D technology. But VAR didn’t see it.”
Now, UEFA sources have issued clarification on the play, stating that while the ball was indeed out of play, the VAR could not intervene because Real Madrid had won the ball back momentarily and therefore it was considered a ‘new passage of play’, reports Eurosport (h/t Madrid Xtra).
It was a mistake from the referee, not stopping for the ball being out of play, but the VAR could not enter into the equation to rule out the goal as it was already a new passage of play when Real Madrid regained control of possession even if it was only briefly.
So, even though there was an error made by the referee on the pitch, the VAR was unable to intervene due to a technicality.
Real Madrid will still take a lot of confidence from their performance against Manchester City, especially given how they managed to shackle Erling Haaland, restricting him to the fewest touches by any player during the game.
The Merengues will have to dust themselves off and go at it again at the Etihad next week as they look to defend their European title.
Bernardo Silva was one of Real Madrid’s headline signings last summer. The Portuguese midfielder arrived on a free transfer from Manchester City and appeared destined to become the creative successor to Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in the middle of the park.
Indeed, with the club having not signed a new central midfielder, many within Real Madrid saw the veteran star as a solution to the issue.
Manager Jose Mourinho made him a starter from the very beginning in pre-season, but not in his usual role on the right. Instead, he deployed his compatriot as a deep-lying playmaker in the midfield double pivot.
A change in circumstances
Silva failed to have the expected influence when operating in a deeper role in midfield in the chances he got.
Combined with the emergence of Arda Guler and Aurelien Tchouameni’s return to fitness, the Portuguese international has now lost his place in the starting line-up and dropped to the bench.
Bernardo’s situation became particularly striking against Villarreal this past Saturday at the Santiago Bernabeu, when he did not play a single minute.
Limited opportunities under Mourinho
Bernardo has played six matches for Real Madrid, starting three and coming on as a substitute in another three.
He did not feature against Villarreal or Elche, while his only appearance in the last three matches was a little over 10 minutes against Atletico Madrid. He was not used regularly by the Portugal national team during the international break either.
Across Real Madrid’s eight La Liga fixtures, Silva has accumulated just 282 minutes of playing time.
The Champions League now presents another opportunity for the former Manchester City captain, who has yet to make his European debut for Real Madrid this season.
He missed the match against Inter Milan because he was still serving a suspension carried over from his time at the Etihad Stadium last season.
It remains to be seen whether Mourinho will give him an opportunity against AS Roma in the coming week.
For now, the midfielder’s reduced playing time suggests that the Portuguese coach has lost some of his faith in a player who arrived with high expectations after leaving Manchester City.
Taiwo
May 10, 2023 at 11:01 am
Realmadrid headed by my president florentino Perez should please fight for the in the UEFA court an make sure it’s in our favour…this is totally unacceptable