Jose Mourinho, Head Coach of Real Madrid
Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images
It is evident that Real Madrid have a long way to go before they can match up to Barcelona, with Jose Mourinho having a humongous task of solving problems in the dressing room.
But that doesn’t take anything away from the fact that Real Madrid could have still been trailing Barcelona by just three points had it not been for some poor refereeing vs Atletico Madrid.
Mourinho was quite vocal about the referee and the VAR in the post-match presser, but it appears Real Madrid have not moved on just yet.
Real Madrid in shock and dismay
According to AS, there is a state of shock and dismay within Real Madrid over the officiating they have faced in Spain this season.
Jose Mourinho, Head Coach of Real Madrid
Mourinho was shocked by the referees’ performance vs Atleti. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
The report argues that the club feel the treatment they receive domestically, across La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa, bears no resemblance to their experiences in European competition.
That sentiment has been fuelled by the recent derby, where the Technical Committee of Referees itself admitted that Atletico’s Kang-In Lee should have been sent off for a dangerous challenge on Federico Valverde.
Real Madrid’s videos on their own channel have sought to highlight what they perceive as inconsistency, and the club clearly believe the decisions in the derby, including the Kang-In and Cuti Romero incidents, went against them.
A contested debate
Jose Mourinho, Manager of Real Madrid
Mourinho must lead Real Madrid back to winning ways after the break. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
The column also makes sweeping claims about a historical statistical bias in favour of Barcelona and reviving references to the long-running Negreira controversy.
Barcelona have consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to the Negreira case, and refereeing bias is a subject that provokes fierce disagreement on both sides of the Clasico divide, the article argues.
What is less disputed is that the derby featured several controversial calls, and that the CTA acknowledged at least one clear error.
For Real Madrid, that admission offers little comfort given the result stands, and with Valverde now injured, the frustration has only deepened.
Ultimately, refereeing controversies are nothing new in Spanish football, and the debate shows no sign of dying down.
Real Madrid defender forces his way back into the picture under Mourinho after new signing’s slow start
Álvaro Carreras of Real Madrid
Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images
Marc Cucurella’s arrival in the summer seemingly shut the door to any doubts on who would be the starting left-back at Real Madrid for the new season.
The defender, after all, was coming off a stunning World Cup-conquering run with the Spanish national team and even had a claim as one of the best left-backs in the world.
His start to life at his new club, however, has not been as glamorous as one would expect and the void has allowed a road back to prominence for Alvaro Carreras.
Given Cucurella’s participation in the World Cup, the player started the team’s first two games as a substitute and was gradually introduced as a starter. While he started well, his recent performances including at the derby have been disappointing.
A hard-fought competition
As reported by AS, the situation has seemingly opened the doors for Carreras who has been solid in every minute handed to him so far this season.
Álvaro Carreras of Real Madrid
Carreras has stepped up his game. (Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images)
Cucurella’s poor form coupled with Carreras’ high level in recent weeks have created the stage for a competition not many saw coming.
Carreras, for his part, is prepared to fight hard and earn back his place as the first-choice left-back. So far, the momentum is in his favour, and the pressure on Cucurella is growing at a higher speed.
A healthy rivalry
With Cucurella starting off slow, it was Carreras who started Real Madrid’s season as the starting left-back against both Espanyol and Real Sociedad.
Marc Cucurella, Real Madrid player
Cucurella is yet to discover his best version. (Photo by Mateo Villalba Sanchez/Getty Images)
Cucurella, however, left a mark as a substitute in the second game and then chained three consecutive starts under his belt against Malaga, Inter Milan and Real Betis.
The manager moved the World Cup winner back to the bench for the clash against Rayo Vallecano, and Carreras made the most of it by winning a penalty and scoring once on the night.
In the most recent games, Cucurella again returned as a starter, and his performance at the derby was disastrous. Giuliano Simeone made life very difficult for the defender and dominated the flank completely for the ninety minutes.
From Mourinho’s point of view, however, it can only be good news for the position to be so hard fought. After all, it is only tough competition that brings the best out of players.