CTA's response to Vinícius Júnior's penalty leaves Real Madrid speechless

Real Madrid achieved a very important victory last night for the team's immediate future against an extremely tough Alavés. The hosts defended with order, intensity, and conviction for almost the entire match, making every attack from Madrid difficult. Only two flashes of pure talent managed to tip the balance.

Mbappé first, with an individual action of great quality, and then Rodrygo, taking advantage of a good pass from Vinícius Júnior, scored the decisive goals. Three points that were absolutely essential for Xabi Alonso, who was under pressure from rumors and the surrounding atmosphere. The win calmed things down, although it didn't completely put out the controversy that the CTA later ended up igniting.

The penalty on Vinícius Júnior will have consequences

If anything defined the match, beyond the result, it was the uncalled penalty on Vinícius Júnior in the second half. With the score already at 2-1 and Real Madrid trying to close out the match, the Brazilian fell inside Alavés's box. The play, seen live, seemed very clear.

Tenaglia arrived late and clearly hit Vinícius Júnior's leg. The kick was visible from every available angle and left little doubt in the television replays. However, neither García Verdura on the field nor González Fuertes in the VAR room considered it appropriate to award the penalty.

That's what nobody at Real Madrid can understand. VAR didn't even call García Verdura to review the play on the monitor. The outrage was immediate both on the bench and on the field.

CTA speaks out and ignites Madridism

Well, far from acknowledging the mistake, CTA has backed the referee's decision. From the highest refereeing body, they believe the action was correct and that VAR acted according to protocol. "At CTA, they're closer to believing that VAR shouldn't have intervened in the possible penalty on Vinícius Júnior", said Juanfe Sanz last night.

The argument is that if García Verdura didn't see live that the impact was enough to cause the fall, VAR shouldn't intervene. An interpretation that has left Real Madrid speechless. For the club, the images are more than conclusive.

They understand that the main referee might not see it clearly. What they don't understand is that VAR would even refuse to review such an obvious action. Even less, CTA's subsequent justification.

The anger in Real Madrid's locker room is deep and goes beyond a single match. There is a sense of defenselessness and of changing criteria depending on who is involved in the play. This undermines trust in the refereeing system.

González Fuertes, a familiar face for Real Madrid

To add more fuel to the fire, it's worth remembering who was in charge of VAR. González Fuertes, one of the most questioned referees in recent years in LaLiga and the one who claimed he was going to take measures against RMTV's videos.

In addition, he has significant influence within the refereeing group. He's well regarded at CTA and among his colleagues, partly because he leads a referees' union. A detail that doesn't go unnoticed in such a delicate context.

Real Madrid won, but left the match with the feeling of having lost something more important. The trust that key decisions will be judged with clear and consistent criteria. In the long run, that is a much harder wound to heal.