Real Madrid Criticizes Referee System After Loss

Real Madrid has formally lodged a complaint with the Spanish Football Association following a controversial 1-0 defeat to Espanyol, where they felt aggrieved by several refereeing decisions. The club is particularly incensed over a tackle by Espanyol's Carlos Romero on Kylian Mbappé, which they believe warranted a red card, but only resulted in a yellow. This incident, coupled with a disallowed goal by Vinícius Júnior, has led Real Madrid to declare the officiating system as 'discredited' and 'corrupted.' Manager Carlo Ancelotti described the refereeing decisions as 'inexplicable,' and the club has demanded the release of VAR audio related to the match. The RFEF responded by expressing regret over the accusations against referee integrity and urged respect for the officiating process. This ongoing dispute reflects a broader trend of complaints from various clubs regarding officiating standards in La Liga.