Arbeloa blames the refereeing: “There's a penalty for Mbappe here and on the Moon” » RMTV: “Liga Negreira!”
Article by Aurelian Botezatu – Published Saturday, April 11, 2026, 07:39 / Updated Saturday, April 11, 2026 07:40
Real Madrid only managed a 1-1 draw at home to Girona in what was meant to be a dress rehearsal ahead of the return leg with Bayern in the Champions League 'quarters'.
Federico Valverde opened the scoring for Real (min. 51), after a blank first half, but the hosts' advantage only lasted 10 minutes. Lemar equalized (62), confirming the third consecutive game without victory for the Madrid team, after 1-2 with Mallorca, also in the championship, and 1-2 with Bayern, in the first leg of the “quarters” of the Champions League.
Real claimed a penalty in the end (min. 87), to Kylian Mbappe, to whom one of Girona's defenders put his arm in front of him when the Frenchman tried to pass him. “Central” Javier Alberola Rojas was not impressed by Kylian's fall, and VAR confirmed his decision not to show the penalty spot.
Alvaro Arbeloa: “Same old story”
But at the press conference, coach Alvaro Arbeloa harshly accused the referee. “For me, this is a penalty here and for a month. Another week has passed, we add another decision against us. The same old story. No one understands, VAR intervenes only when it suits them,” commented Real's technician.
Mbappe receives treatment after making contact with an opponent's arm
The club's television station, RMTV, was even harsher and suggested that the Liga was doing Barcelona's games: “This is Liga Negreira.” An obvious allusion to the current La Liga leader's alleged dubious past links with José María Enríquez Negreira, who from 2001 to 2018 was the vice-president of the Spanish Referee Committee (CTA).
The Marca expert does not support Alvaro Arbeloa's claim
Arbitration specialists, on the other hand, do not agree with Real Madrid. The expert of the daily Marca, Perez Burrull, commented on the relevant phase in the “Marcador” show:
“I see an open arm but there is no intention to hit Mbappe. But there is a tendency among forwards to make contact look more serious than it is.”
