Real Madrid criticise penalty decision in costly La Liga draw with Girona
Real Madrid suffered a major blow to their La Liga title hopes following a controversial 1-1 draw against Girona at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Federico Valverde opened the scoring with a distance strike early in the second half before Thomas Lemar secured a point for the visitors just 11 minutes later.
The defining moment arrived in the closing stages when Kylian Mbappe appeared to be struck in the face by defender Vitor Reis inside the penalty area.
Arbeloa furious with refereeing standards
Referee Javier Alberola dismissed the late appeals and the Video Assistant Referee opted against intervening.
Speaking after the match, Alvaro Arbeloa expressed his disbelief at the officiating and suggested a pattern of questionable decisions against his side.
“For me it’s a penalty from here to the moon,” Arbeloa said.
“I don’t understand it, and I don’t think anybody does. You know my opinion about referees, and the facts maintain it.”
Bernabeu unrest amid poor domestic form
Home supporters voiced their frustration at the final whistle following a third consecutive match without a victory for the Spanish giants.
The dropped points leave them six points adrift of La Liga leaders Barcelona, who also hold a crucial game in hand.
Despite the recent slump in form, Arbeloa refused to criticise the attacking output of his superstar forwards.
“I can’t worry about players with the figures Mbappe and Vinicius Junior have,” he added.
“They’re two of the four or five best players in the world.”
Bellingham returns as European test looms
One positive for the hosts was the return of Jude Bellingham to the starting lineup following a recent injury layoff.
Arbeloa noted that the England international looked agile and confident as he regained vital match fitness.
The squad must now regroup rapidly ahead of a pivotal trip to Germany next Wednesday.
They will face Bayern Munich looking to overturn a 2-1 deficit in their Champions League quarter-final second leg.
