Sports
Spain Referee Body Apologises To Real Madrid After 1-2 Loss To Atlético
The Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) has acknowledged that referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias committed severe officiating errors by failing to send off Atlético Madrid players Cuti Romero and Kang-in Lee during Real Madrid’s 2-1 defeat in the Madrid derby.
The admission follows scrutiny from Los Blancos, who published a formal statement describing the officiating at the Metropolitano as “catastrophic.”
According to report, the CTA reviewed the match and determined that Ortiz Arias missed two clear direct red cards in the first half that directly impacted the LALIGA fixture.
In the 35th minute, Romero caught Jude Bellingham’s knee with his studs. Ortiz Arias initially booked Bellingham, but video assistant referee Trujillo Suárez intervened.
Ortiz Arias subsequently rescinded Bellingham’s card and cautioned Romero. The CTA concluded that the challenge warranted a straight red card for serious foul play.
Nine minutes later, Kang-in Lee stepped on Federico Valverde’s left ankle from behind. The CTA ruled that the tackle carried excessive force in a dangerous area and should have resulted in a direct expulsion, noting that the VAR room failed to intervene.
While the CTA admitted faults regarding the Atlético challenges, the committee formally endorsed the decision to send off Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen in the 52nd minute.
Huijsen held back Giuliano Simeone inside the penalty area to stop a clear goalscoring opportunity. Ortiz Arias initially awarded a penalty and a yellow card before Trujillo Suárez recommended an on-field review. The referee upgraded the punishment to a red card, a sequence the CTA considers procedurally correct.
Alejandro Grimaldo converted the resulting penalty, and Jonathan David added a second in the 59th minute before Antonio Rüdiger scored a late header to conclude the 2-1 result.
Mourinho slams referee selection
The CTA’s assessment validates the post-match frustrations of Real Madrid manager José Mourinho, who brought a physical poster of the unpunished tackles to his media briefing.
Beyond criticising the specific on-field decisions, the Portuguese manager targeted the CTA’s appointment process directly.
Mourinho argued that assigning Ortiz Arias to the fixture was a failure, stating that the referee lacked the requisite experience to manage the volatility and pressure of a high-stakes Madrid derby.
Sunderland manager Regis le Bris is set to be given more time to turn things around despite his side’s poor start to the Premier League season.
Le Bris is under pressure after Saturday’s defeat at Coventry left the Black Cats bottom of the table with just one win from their first nine league matches.
However, club sources have told BBC Sport they believe the Frenchman can turn things around.
Sunderland face Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League at the Stadium of Light on Thursday, then host Chelsea in the league on Sunday before the international break begins.
Le Bris joined Sunderland from Lorient in 2024 and, in his first season in charge, oversaw promotion back to the Premier League after an eight-year absence.
The 50-year-old then guided the Black Cats to an impressive seventh-placed finish a year later, securing a spot in the Europa League.
It was the first time Sunderland had qualified for European competition in 53 years.
They have won two and drawn one of their Europa League league phase matches so far.
Liverpool captain, Virgil van Dijk, has expressed his disappointment following their 1-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.
Kai Havertz’s goal in the first half proved to be the winner for the Gunners.
Speaking to the media after the game, Van Dijk bemoaned their failure to take their chances.
“Disappointment, disappointment,” Van Dijk said.
“We had some opportunities, we tried everything. I think we could have maybe done a bit better towards the last 15 minutes of the game to get more balls in the box.
“But it wasn’t enough today and that’s why disappointment is definitely the feeling I’m having
“After we conceded the goal, we started to play much better. A big chance from Alexis could have changed the game.
“Unfortunately that didn’t happen, but we all know, in the second half, anything could still happen and we kept pushing and going for it.”
Venezuela head coach Dayana Frías has reflected on her side’s narrow defeat to Nigeria’s Flamingos in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
The South Americans crashed out of the competition following a 1-0 loss to Nigeria, who secured their place in the semi-finals.
Although Venezuela struggled to match the Flamingos’ intensity, La Vinotinto put up a determined defensive performance, keeping the Nigerian side at bay for much of the encounter.
The game appeared destined for a penalty shootout before Nigeria were awarded a late spot-kick after Venezuela defender Migleydys Bolsegui was adjudged to have fouled Oluebube Umejiaku.
Azeezat Oduntan stepped up and calmly converted the penalty to hand Nigeria a crucial victory and book their place in the last four.
Frías admitted that a costly mistake proved decisive but expressed satisfaction with her team’s overall performance and development throughout the tournament.
“It was a good performance overall, but I think we made one mistake and paid for it. As for the experience, it’s been really beautiful and rewarding,” Frías told FIFA.
“I’m happy to see how much they’ve grown and how they’ve developed as footballers throughout the tournament. We also have seven players who are eligible to play again next year, so I think they’re ready to come back and keep growing.”
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