Federico Valverde, Real Madrid player
Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images
Real Madrid endured a difficult night at the Metropolitano, losing 2-1 to Atletico Madrid in controversial circumstances.
Los Blancos were on the wrong end of several refereeing decisions on the night, and Jose Mourinho expressed his disappointment with them during the press conference.
One such challenge that became a point of contention was Kang-in Lee’s late tackle on Fede Valverde, with the Uruguayan later confirmed to have suffered an injury.
According to El Chiringuito journalist Marcos Benito, the South American regretted getting back to his feet after the challenge from the Atletico attacker.
Valverde could barely put weight on his foot
Valverde later felt he should have remained on the ground following the tackle rather than attempting to continue playing through the pain.
“He regrets not staying on the ground after the challenge,” Benito reported.
Federico Valverde, Real Madrid player
Federico Valverde suffered a crunching tackle on his ankle. (Photo by Mateo Villalba Sanchez/Getty Images)
The condition of Valverde’s ankle after the final whistle was particularly concerning.
“After the match, he could barely put his foot down. His ankle was like a tennis ball,” Benito added.
Kang-in caught Valverde around the ankle, but the challenge did not result in a red card. Madrid believed the Atletico midfielder should have been dismissed.
Real Madrid’s anger only grows
Valverde is expected to miss around two to three weeks with a left ankle injury, while Madrid staff do not anticipate him joining Uruguay during the international break.
That makes the lack of punishment particularly difficult for Madrid to accept. It does not automatically mean the challenge deserved a red card simply because Valverde was injured.
Jose Mourinho, Manager of Real Madrid
Jose Mourinho was disappointed with the refereeing decisions in the Madrid derby. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
However, there is no doubt that Kang-in’s challenge deserved punishment and, instead, he was not even given a yellow card.
Real Madrid had every reason to feel aggrieved and the dressing room was furious with the overall refereeing performance, with the club even deciding against sending a player to speak to the media.
The international break at least limits the number of Madrid matches he could miss, but losing one of Mourinho’s most trusted midfielders is still a significant consequence.
It is high time the refereeing in La Liga started taking accountability for decisions, and it remains to be seen how long Fede takes to recover and return to action for Mourinho’s team.
Bernardo Silva of Real Madrid
Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images
Bernardo Silva of Real Madrid
Bernardo Silva is struggling to find a place in Jose Mourinho’s XI. (Photo by Mateo Villalba Sanchez/Getty Images)
Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni of Real Madrid
Aurelien Tchouameni and Fede Valverde are the preferred midfield pairing for Jose Mourinho. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)