Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has been dismissive of the complaints voiced by Almeria, LaLiga’s bottom club, after his team secured a thrilling 3-2 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday. Almeria, who have struggled to secure a league win this season, surprisingly took a 2-0 lead against Madrid in the first half. However, Madrid came back strongly in the second half, scoring three goals including a dramatic 99th-minute winner, which allowed them to reclaim the top spot in the table.
The game turned on three pivotal decisions after the break, with referee Francisco José Hernández Maeso awarding a penalty to Madrid, disallowing an Almeria goal, and allowing a controversial goal by Vinicius Junior, which was scored with his upper arm, to stand. All these decisions were made after Hernández Maeso reviewed the incidents on the pitch-side monitor, with Ancelotti backing each call. Despite Almeria’s protests, Ancelotti expressed confidence in the referee’s decisions, stating, “I have seen them back. I think the referee gets them right. It’s not VAR making the decisions. VAR advises and the referee decides. I think he was right.”
Almeria players and staff were visibly upset by the decisions that went against them during the match. Largie Ramazani and Edgar Gonzalez had given Almeria a solid lead before Madrid’s comeback. However, the team felt hard done by when a penalty was awarded against them and a goal was disallowed, paving the way for Madrid’s turnaround. Almeria players expressed their frustration in post-match interviews, with Gonzalo Melero stating, “The feeling is we’ve been robbed today, it’s that clear. They could not have done more for [Madrid] to get back in the match.”
Ancelotti attributed Madrid’s lackluster first half performance to fatigue after a challenging run of games, which included being knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Atletico Madrid. The manager acknowledged that he made a mistake in fielding tired players and accepted responsibility for the team’s poor start. Ancelotti emphasized the importance of fresh legs and energy in the second half, which ultimately led to Madrid’s victory. Despite the controversy surrounding the match, Ancelotti took the blame for his team’s initial struggles and praised the support of the fans at the Bernabeu.
With the win propelling Real Madrid to the top of the table with 51 points from 20 games, the team is looking ahead to their upcoming fixture against Las Palmas. On the other hand, Almeria remains at the bottom of the league, with only six points to their name. The contrasting fortunes of the two clubs highlight the competitive nature of LaLiga and the challenges faced by teams at both ends of the table.
While the match between Real Madrid and Almeria was marred by controversial decisions and contrasting emotions from both teams, it showcased the unpredictable and intense nature of LaLiga. The post-match reactions from players and managers shed light on the passion and frustration that accompanies high-stakes games in top-flight football. As the season progresses, both teams will need to regroup and focus on their upcoming matches to achieve their respective objectives in the league.
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