Sevilla have expressed outrage following their 4-1 defeat at the Santiago Bernabéu, accusing match officials and VAR of protecting Real Madrid midfielder Arda Güler after an unpunished off-the-ball elbow on Peque Fernández.
In the 23rd minute of Sunday’s La Liga clash, with the match goalless, Peque tugged Güler’s shirt during a off-ball run. The 21-year-old Turkish international reacted by swinging his arm backward, striking the Sevilla forward in the face and sending him to the turf requiring medical attention.
Sevilla Backlash & Officiating Fallout
The decision by referee Mateo Busquets Ferrer to let play continue without showing a red card drew fierce criticism from the visiting camp:
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García Plaza Fury: “Today we should have been playing against ten men from the 23rd minute,” Sevilla manager Luis García Plaza stated post-match. “It was like an assault. Why didn’t VAR call the referee? Maybe because they don’t want Real Madrid going into El Clásico nine points behind.”
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Players React: Captain Kike Salas labeled the foul clear and unquestionable, adding: “You can see the elbow Peque took. That decision completely swung the game in their favor.”
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Tunnel Confrontation: Footage captured Güler confronting Peque in the tunnel at half-time, furiously accusing the Sevilla forward of feigning severity to con the referee into a sending-off.
Mourinho Defence & Clásico Availability
Just seven minutes after the incident, Güler opened the scoring with a sublime 16-meter curling finish, paving the way for a 4-1 victory. Speaking after the match, Real Madrid manager José Mourinho dismissed Sevilla’s protests, citing a complete lack of conclusive broadcast evidence:
“Nobody has managed to show me a single clear image of what they claim happened,” Mourinho declared. “If someone sends me a clear, objective video showing an offense, I’ll address it. Until then, it’s just talk.”
With the Technical Committee of Referees confirming that VAR could not establish contact force due to limited broadcast framing, Güler avoids a domestic suspension and remains available for next Sunday’s El Clásico showdown against Barcelona at Camp Nou.
