Real Madrid derby video gets reviewed again and referees reach a troubling conclusion
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The Technical Committee of Referees acknowledged that Lee Kang in should have been sent off against Real Madrid.
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Federico Valverde suffered a severe ankle trauma following the unpunished studs-up challenge during the derby.
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Officials upheld the VAR decision to eject Dean Huijsen and the yellow card correction for Cristian Romero.
Following Atletico Madrid’s 2 to 1 derby victory over Real Madrid in matchday seven of LaLiga 2026/27, the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) conducted a formal review of the match’s most controversial officiating decisions. The panel reached a troubling conclusion regarding a key moment in the match, confirming that South Korean midfielder Lee Kang-in should have received a straight red card for a dangerous studs up tackle on Federico Valverde. The foul was missed on the pitch by referee Ortiz Arias and went unreviewed by the VAR room.
🚨 OFFICIAL: Real Madrid statement against the referee after the derby.
“Real Madrid lose the derby at the Metropolitano in a match marked by Ortiz Arias’ VERY TERRIBLE REFEREEING”.
“He failed to send off Cuti Romero in the first half for stepping on Bellingham’s knee (despite… pic.twitter.com/GuknLr7jY4
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 20, 2026
Physical toll and concern over Valverde’s condition
The direct studs up contact on the Uruguayan international’s left ankle caused immediate damage that raised serious concerns among the Real Madrid medical staff. Valverde finished the match suffering from severe physical trauma to the joint, putting his availability in question for the upcoming fixtures on the club schedule. The lack of disciplinary action on the field sparked intense frustration within the squad, as a dangerous challenge capable of causing a prolonged injury was inexplicably overlooked by both the head official and the video review assistants.
VAR interventions validated by the technical panel
The refereeing committee also analyzed other critical incidents that influenced the momentum of the derby. The CTA fully backed the decision to send off Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen, validating the VAR intervention that alerted the referee to a foul inside the penalty box on Giuliano Simeone. Additionally, the panel supported the correction made during a confused play involving Jude Bellingham and Cristian Romero, where the video system properly identified Romero as the true offender subject to a booking, while confirming that a yellow card was the appropriate disciplinary outcome.
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Managerial backlash and officiating scrutiny
The officiating outcomes generated significant frustration within the Real Madrid camp following the final whistle. Manager José Mourinho openly criticized the performance of referee Ortiz Arias and VAR official Daniel Jesús Trujillo Suárez, raising questions regarding the experience level assigned to handle a match of such magnitude. The official admission of the error by the governing body validates the complaints raised by the Portuguese manager and intensifies the ongoing debate surrounding refereeing consistency across the league.
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