10 months ago
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‘This is how Madrid wins’ rang out at the Bernabeu after another comeback win, but on this occasion they couldn’t have picked a worse song.
Los Blancos came back from 2-0 down against bottom-of-the-table Almeria to win 3-2 in stoppage time.
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It was a game as thrilling as it was controversial, with Jude Bellingham again running the show, scoring a penalty before assisting Dani Carvajal’s winner in the eighth minute of stoppage time.
Madrid are famous for their comebacks, but not on this occasion, with VAR intervening to overturn three goals in favour of the home side at the Bernabeu.
Almeria had stunned with an opener from former Manchester United prospect Largie Ramazani after 38 seconds, and at half-time they had a deserved 2-0 lead.
The controversy then started.
A ball into the box came off Brazilian defender Kaiky’s arm, but it was instantly ruled out for a shove from Joselu, which then got overturned at the VAR screen and Bellingham scored the resulting penalty.
A 3-1 goal from Sergio Arribas was ruled out by VAR for a foul in the build up, but then when Vinicius equalised, seemingly with his elbow, all hell broke loose when that goal was also given at the screen.
Walking off in anger, an incensed Marc Pubill of Almeria said: "Someone decided that we couldn't win here.
"I think the team played a great game, we took the lead and I think someone decided that we couldn't win here, and that's how it happened. That's it.”
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Gonzalo Melero was just as angry, adding: "Today they robbed us. There was no more that could have been done from outside to get them into the game.
“The penalty, the goal with the hand, the goal disallowed due to a coming together... What happened today crosses all limits.
“This has already happened several times this year and if you don't complain they won't help you. We've never said anything, but today goes beyond all limits."
“I understand that one team is Madrid and we are another, but this competition should be fair for everyone and sometimes it is difficult to see it,” Edgar Gonzalez continued in the mixed zone. “The bottom line is that all the decisions are for them.”
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Watching on from afar, the Barcelona team then began to respond, with Inigo Martinez posting a GIF of Shaquille O'Neal laughing on Instagram, causing plenty of conversation online.
Gerard Pique also reposted an old Tweet, which read: "Watching a robbery movie on Canal Movistar."
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Match-winner Carvajal was baffled on his part, responding to Melero’s comments by saying: "If he looks calmly and objectively at the controversial actions, he would see that this was not the case. The three plays have been re-arbitrated correctly."
But not everyone felt the same.
With refereeing high on the agenda in Spain amid the Negreira match-fixing allegations, well-respected journalist and Madrid fan Alfredo Relano was fuming.
“I have become bitter,” he said. “Rarely does a game leave me feeling bad and this one did.
“The three points for Madrid may be worth it, but it creates enormous reputational damage. There are too many people in Spain that are wishing for these things to happen.”
