2024-08-20 10:40:04
Real Madrid manager, Carlo Ancelotti, did not shy away from being self-critical following his team’s 1-1 draw against Mallorca.
However, the real story unfolded behind closed doors in the dressing room after the match. The players and staff had much more to discuss, particularly concerning the referee, Soto Grado, whom Madrid had already been wary of in the lead-up to the Mallorca game.
Interestingly, a report from MARCA claims that the Madrid squad felt that the referee’s performance confirmed their suspicions.
What’s the story?
The frustration in the dressing room wasn’t just about football tactics or individual performances.
While issues like Vinicius Jr’s personal battles on the pitch, the lack of sharpness from players like Jude Bellingham or Kylian Mbappe, and the overall disjointed nature of a team still finding its rhythm were significant, the spotlight was firmly on Soto Grado’s decisions.
Real Madrid TV even went as far as to create a detailed analysis of what they perceived as the referee’s mistakes.
Real Madrid are not happy
Sources from within Real Madrid labelled Soto Grado’s refereeing as “a textbook exercise in prevarication,” expressing disbelief that Maffeo remained on the pitch by the end of the match, especially considering that it was Madrid who had a player sent off.
Even more astonishing to them was the lack of any call, not even a simple foul, in the incident involving Mbapp and Maffeo.
For Real Madrid, this wasn’t just a one-off incident. The club is convinced that such officiating will become a regular occurrence in their away games this season.
They believe that this is something they will have to contend with as an additional challenge alongside their on-field rivals, as they don’t expect anything to change.
The sentiment within the club is clear: “And when that happens, it means that something is wrong here,”
Not the first time
Interestingly, this is not the first time Real Madrid has found themselves at odds with Grado. His name was already infamous among the Madrid camp following a previous encounter against Osasuna in October 2021.
That match ended in a 0-0 draw after just four minutes of added time. The referee’s dismissive response to Madrid’s complaints about the insufficient added time only fueled the fans’ anger.
He had remarked, “You’ve had 90 minutes, don’t come to me now complaining about a minute. No, no, I already know…” This statement did nothing to soothe the frustration of the Madrid supporters, who felt the team had been short-changed.
