Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti expressed frustration over a controversial VAR penalty decision in Saturday's 1-1 derby draw against Atlético Madrid at the Bernabéu, stating that "football people don't understand" such calls.
The penalty in question came in the 35th minute when VAR determined that Real Madrid's Aurélien Tchouaméni had fouled Samuel Lino. Julián Álvarez converted the spot kick to give Atlético the lead, though Kylian Mbappé would later equalize for the hosts in the second half.
The result leaves Real Madrid just one point ahead of their city rivals at the top of the LaLiga table, adding further intrigue to an already heated title race.
Ancelotti was notably reserved when first asked about the penalty decision, saying "I'll pass" on commenting. This comes after a week of heightened tensions between the clubs, with Real Madrid filing a formal complaint about officiating in their previous match against Espanyol - a move that drew sharp criticism from Atlético Madrid, who accused their rivals of attempting to influence officials.
Real Madrid has been vocal in their criticism of LaLiga refereeing, recently issuing an open letter calling for "structural reform" and describing the current system as "completely discredited."
Despite the controversial penalty decision, Ancelotti believed his team deserved more from the match. "We had total control, we scored, we got into the box, we played very well in the second half," he said. "The first half was totally different, much slower, and less aggressive. I think with what we did in the second half, we leave with a good feeling. The penalty affected the team, obviously."
Atlético Madrid manager Diego Simeone took a more measured stance on the officiating, stating, "I think the referee did his best with his decisions." He referenced a first-half incident involving Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos, who received a yellow card for a challenge on Pablo Barrios, noting that opinions varied on whether it deserved a red card. "For some people the Ceballos challenge was a red, and for others it wasn't. I thought [the referee] had an OK game," Simeone concluded.
