Real Madrid, eager to close the gap with FC Barcelona at the top of the table, endured a frustrating evening at San Mamés, highlighted by two controversial penalty decisions. Had those calls gone differently, the match could have swung in favor of Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
Despite their ambition to secure three crucial points in the title race, Madrid failed to overcome a determined Athletic Bilbao, who dominated proceedings. Struggling to create clear chances, Real, led in attack by Kylian Mbappé, was unable to trouble the solid Basque defense. In contrast, the home side was more enterprising and ultimately secured a 2-1 victory, capitalizing on mistakes from Thibaut Courtois and Fede Valverde.
Two Penalties Denied: Real Madrid Denounces Injustice
The first controversy arose during an incident involving Kylian Mbappé, sparking outrage among the Madrid players. The French striker, surrounded by two Athletic Bilbao defenders, was knocked off balance and went to the ground, appealing for a penalty. However, referee Sánchez Martínez saw the situation differently. He urged Mbappé to get up, ruling that there was not enough contact to warrant a penalty. Despite video footage that seemed to support Real Madrid’s case, the decision not to award a penalty infuriated both the players and the fans, who were convinced that the foul deserved stricter punishment.
Moments later, another controversy erupted. During a counterattack, Rodrygo was shoved by Gorosabel, prompting a VAR review. The referee was invited to rewatch the incident on the monitor, but despite several seconds of analysis, Sánchez Martínez upheld his initial decision, ruling that the contact was not significant enough to warrant a penalty. This second denial further heightened the frustration of the Madrid players, convinced that two critical opportunities had been unfairly overlooked to the detriment of their team.
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