VAR, five returns and Ancelotti’s ‘mea culpa’

He real Madrid beat Almería (3-2) in the fifth comeback from the rival’s early goal so far in the Liga, in victories that allow them to continue fighting with Girona for the title and which, this Sunday, must VAR as the protagonist of three defining actions of a rivalry after which the Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti He deflected the ‘mea culpa’ for his team’s poor level in the first half.

“We leave with the feeling that the game has stolen from us,” Gonzalo Melero was so forceful in the mixed zone after the game. A speech shared by the other two players who spoke, Marc Pubill and Edgar González.

For his part, the technician Gaizka Garitano He was brief, evasive in his initial messages to the press room. He wanted to avoid the penalty of criticizing the referees if he spoke his mind. But he left a message: “It’s not the first time this has happened to me here,” in reference to the referees’ performances during their teams’ visits to the Santiago Bernabéu.

Three actions where the referee Francisco José Hernández Maeso (Extremeño Committee) went to the VAR monitor at the request of Alejandro José Hernández Hernández (Las Palmas Committee) triggered these statements.

A controversy that Real Madrid does not share, because they understand that they acted correctly by correcting three actions that the main referee directed to the grass: the hand of the Brazilian Kaiky after the shot of Joselu Mato that led to the 1-2 penalty of the Englishman Jude Bellingham ; Senegalese Dion Lopy’s foul on Bellingham early in the game for Sergio Arribas’ goal, 1-3; and the goal from Brazilian Vinícius Junior 2-2 which was disallowed for handball in the first instance and after review it was ruled that it was on the shoulder.

However, he isthe Almería version It is very different. At Kaiky’s hand they claimed an earlier foul by Joselu for jumping from behind – an action which, according to the VAR audios, was not taken into account when deciding whether it was a handball or not; They point out that the impact of Dion Lopy’s hand to the face in Bellingham on Arribas’ 1-3 was not enough; and that in Vinícius’ goal the pictures they showed the referee Francisco José Hernández Maeso were not enough to appreciate that he finished with his arm and not his shoulder.

Three actions and two versions that gave rise to controversy at the Bernabéu that reached Benito Villamarín, in the mouth of Xavi Hernández after defeating Real Betis: “I have already said that it will be very difficult to win this League, I said this to Getafe, that “There things that have not been added to me. There are things beyond our control. Everyone saw it now.”

Real Madrid’s five comebacks

Some are protected by referee errors and others are supported by the epic, the truth is the of Real MadridHe scored three points on Sunday against Almería allowing him to keep up with a Girona team that has no intention of slowing down. And, above all, keep the distance of seven points against their pursuers, FC Barcelona.

And he did it after conceding his sixth goal of the season in the first 15 minutes. Together with Mallorca and Getafe, the ones who have received the most during this period of the match.

In only one of those games did Real Madrid fail to come back, and it was in the league derby on September 24, where Álvaro Morata opened the scoring.

Of the rest, the sa Ancelotti sand they went to three points. 1-3 at Almería, 2-1 against Getafe, 2-1 against Real Sociedad, 1-2 at home to FC Barcelona and 3-2 on Sunday against Almería.

15 points of which six were achieved in extra time, and if they had not added they would have been far from the lead held by Girona with one more game to play, which Real Madrid will regain next week by visiting Getafe on Thursday 2 February.

Ancelotti’s ‘mea culpa’

Beyond the controversy, the first half of the real Madrid is very far from the lowest level. On knowing him Ancelotti: “We had a very bad first half, with a little energy. I did the wrong test after yesterday’s practice. A tired team played in the first half and we were very weak,” he said.

Self-criticism from Ancelotti after the first 45 minutes in which Real Madrid scored two goals, did not shoot on goal and did not give any sense of danger.

Photo that elicited two loud whistles from his fans for a team that won the Spanish Super Cup a week ago. Maximum requirement.

A Real Madrid that seemed to lack energy as it reached its fourth game in 11 days, with two overtimes – both against Atlético de Madrid – plus a trip to Saudi Arabia.

For Ancelotti, that has been the key to his team’s bad image and the good news for him is that he has an easy and quick solution: rest. And the calendar only allows it. Elimination in the Copa del Rey leaves the white team with six days left until their next match, on Saturday when they visit UD Las Palmas

Because of this, ‘Carletto’ gave his players a rest this Monday and they will return to the club’s Sports City in Valdebebas on Tuesday at 11:00 am to prepare for the said match and, above all, regain the freshness in their legs.