Arbeloa: 'Difficult to Understand Why Referee Didn't Show Red Card on Mbappé; Officiating Needs Reform' - Elbotola
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Arbeloa: 'Difficult to Understand Why Referee Didn't Show Red Card on Mbappé; Officiating Needs Reform'

Arbeloa: 'Difficult to Understand Why Referee Didn't Show Red Card on Mbappé; Officiating Needs Reform'

T.E (Elbotola)
09 April 2026at18:25

Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa expressed his dissatisfaction with refereeing decisions ahead of their match against Girona, highlighting clear inconsistencies in rulings.

Speaking on Thursday during the pre-match press conference, Arbeloa stated: "It's not about trust or lack thereof; it's about what we see. What happened on Tuesday with the incident involving Kylian Mbappé, it's difficult to understand how a red card wasn't issued." He was referring to the foul by Bayern Munich defender Jonathan Tah, who stepped on Mbappé's foot.

Regarding VAR technology, he added: "Even with VAR, which was supposed to solve many problems, we in Spain are still waiting for explanations, and this issue needs to be rectified. There are many doubts surrounding such decisions; one week VAR is consulted, and another week it isn't. I try to focus solely on my job as a coach."

Real Madrid is set to host Girona tomorrow, Friday, at 21:00 GMT+1, in a match for Week 31 of the Spanish League.

What did Álvaro Arbeloa say about refereeing decisions?

Álvaro Arbeloa expressed strong dissatisfaction with refereeing decisions, specifically highlighting a foul involving Kylian Mbappé where a red card was not issued. He found it difficult to understand the inconsistency in rulings and the application of VAR technology.

How did Arbeloa view VAR's effectiveness in Spanish football?

Arbeloa stated that VAR, despite its promise to solve many problems, has not delivered in Spain. He noted ongoing doubts surrounding its decisions, with inconsistent consultation from week to week, and called for explanations and rectification of the system.

What reforms did Arbeloa suggest for football officiating?

Arbeloa implied that the entire system of officiating needs reform due to clear inconsistencies and the failure of VAR to provide clarity. He believes there are many doubts surrounding decisions and that the issue needs to be rectified to improve the standard of refereeing.
Real Madrid
Spanish La Liga
UEFA Champions League

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