Real Madrid blast 'controversial' refereeing display

Real Madrid hit out at the referee's failure to award them a penalty in the club's 3-3 LaLiga draw at Rayo Vallecano on Saturday, calling it "a match they could have won."

Madrid went 2-0 down in Vallecas to early headed goals from Rayo's Unai López and Abdul Mumin, before Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham responded to make it 2-2.

Rodrygo put the visitors ahead in the second half and Isi Palazón levelled for Rayo eight minutes later, as Madrid had to settle for a draw, leaving them a point behind leaders Barcelona at the top of the table.

After the game, the LaLiga giants posted a match report headlined "Controversial refereeing denies Madrid victory" on social media and on the club's website, attacking referee Juan Martínez Munuera's decision not to award a penalty for Mumin's second-half challenge on Vinícius Júnior.

"In the 75th minute came the most controversial play of the match," the club's report said. "Vini Jr. was clearly brought down inside the area by Mumin, but Martínez Munuera did not award a penalty, neither was there any warning from [Pablo] González Fuertes, the VAR referee."

Madrid have frequently criticised the performance of referees this season, regularly broadcasting videos on the club's TV channel, Real Madrid TV, highlighting officials' mistakes.

"Seeing a replay, the penalty looked very clear to me," coach Carlo Ancelotti said in his postmatch news conference, while praising his side's overall performance.

"There are draws and there are draws. The draws with Mallorca and Las Palmas [in August] were totally different to this draw... We're on the right track."

"The Mallorca and Las Palmas draws made me nervous, but this one didn't," Ancelotti added. "I thought it would be very difficult for us to find balance and attitude [this season] but we've found it. We have the same attitude as last year, the same commitment, the same quality.

"Rodrygo came back today. [Eduardo] Camavinga came back. [David] Alaba will come back. I start 2025 with a lot of enthusiasm We're in the fight for everything."

Ancelotti pointed out that Madrid had kicked off against Rayo missing a string of first-team regulars due to injury, including Kylian Mbappé, Ferland Mendy, Éder Militão and Dani Carvajal, while Vinícius started on the bench.

"[Vinicius] didn't start because he hasn't played 90 minutes since his injury," Ancelotti said. "We preferred that he play the second half, which might be less intense. He had a good game."

Madrid are next in action on Wednesday, where they will play Pachuca in the final of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup.