Real Madrid TV is preparing a detailed report on referee Cesar Soto Grado’s performance during the match against Mallorca, highlighting several controversial decisions.
According to recent reports from AS, the network is particularly critical of Mediapro, the company responsible for broadcasting and replay coverage in La Liga.
Real Madrid TV finds it unacceptable that Mediapro failed to show any replays of a key incident involving a potential penalty.
The Mbappe incident
In the match against Mallorca, tensions were high from the outset. Early in the game, Kylian Mbappe made a run from his own half and was brought down by Pablo Maffeo as he approached the penalty area.
Soto Grado did not award a penalty, but Real Madrid TV believes this was a clear mistake. They argue that Maffeo’s challenge was a foul, as he ignored the ball and pulled Mbappe. They are baffled by Grado’s decision not to penalise the foul.
Scuffle with Vinicius
Another significant incident involved Mallorca’s right-back Maffeo and Vinicius Jr. During a clash near the touchline, Maffeo stepped on Vinicius’ calf and was shown a yellow card.
Real Madrid TV felt this punishment was insufficient and criticised Maffeo’s conduct as contrary to fair play. They suggested that such actions could potentially endanger players and called for stricter measures from the AFE (Spanish Footballers’ Association).
Incident involving Militao
The situation worsened in the second half. After a set piece, Jude Bellingham delivered a ball into the area where Eder Militao was held back by Martin Valjent.
Grado again missed the foul, and the VAR did not intervene. Real Madrid TV argued that this incident warranted a penalty, especially in light of the penalty awarded to Barcelona in a recent match.
They believe that the lack of proper replay coverage contributed to the oversight. Real Madrid TV’s criticism extends to Mediapro, accusing them of failing to provide adequate replay coverage for these crucial moments.
They argue that the company’s performance in broadcasting the match was subpar and blamed both the referees and Mediapro for the poor handling of these key incidents. Real Madrid TV feels that if the roles were reversed, decisions might have been different, suggesting a bias against their team.