Real Madrid narrowly escaped with all three points in a dramatic 1-0 win over Athletic Club at the Santiago Bernabéu, thanks to a stunning 93rd-minute strike from Federico Valverde. The Uruguayan’s midfielder, often praised for his energy and precision, delivered when it mattered most, lifting his team in the dying moments of an intensely contested La Liga clash. But while the scoreboard favored Real Madrid, the match itself was riddled with controversy, particularly surrounding a disallowed Vinicius Jr. goal that sparked widespread debate among fans, players, and analysts.
Vinicius appeared to have finally broken the deadlock in the 80th minute after a brilliantly timed run and clinical finish. His celebration was short-lived, however, as referee Juan Martínez Munuera was summoned to the VAR monitor. The reason? Potential interference from Real Madrid’s young Brazilian striker, Endrick, who was deemed to be in an offside position and possibly obstructing Athletic defender Aitor Paredes. What followed was a tense and confusing VAR review that has since gone viral for its revealing audio recordings.
The VAR conversation, later made public by Spanish media, provided rare insight into the officials’ decision-making process. VAR chief Alejandro Hernández began the review with a calm but pointed message: “Juan, I need to call you to assess Endrick’s interference on Aitor Paredes, okay? Then we’ll send the post re-creation in case you signal offside.”
Referee MunUera complied, approaching the monitor to better understand the situation. “Okay, I’ll take a look,” he said. Once on the screen, he requested various camera angles to determine if Endrick had indeed obstructed the defender’s vision or movement. “I want to see one who’s offside… and now I want the top behind,” he asked.
However, the process was far from seamless. The technical limitations of the camera angle dubbed “the high behind” became apparent. The angle wasn’t sharply focused, and the referee struggled to make a conclusive decision. The VAR assistant attempted to help by offering an alternative: “We can put the Sky camera on for you.” Eventually, Munuera, despite the blurry angles and incomplete perspectives, made his decision. “Okay, it’s very close… there’s interference, I’ll go with the offside.”
The decision to rule out Vinicius’s goal sparked immediate outrage from the Real Madrid bench and fans on social media. Many questioned the legitimacy of the offside call, arguing that Endrick’s position had no significant impact on the play or Paredes’ ability to challenge the shot. Others pointed to the inconsistency of VAR decisions in similar situations throughout the season. The hashtag #Justiceforvini began trending within minutes, and football pundits on post-match shows expressed concerns about VAR’s growing influence and inconsistent application.
Even club president Florentino Pérez was reportedly furious, holding brief discussions with La Liga representatives after the final whistle. Although he stopped short of filing a formal complaint, insiders suggested the club could push for revisions to the VAR protocol before next season.
Despite the chaos, Real Madrid maintained their composure. The players remained focused and determined to secure victory. This resilience paid off in stoppage time, when Federico Valverde received the ball just outside the penalty area, took one touch, and unleashed a powerful volley that flew into the top corner of the net. The Bernabéu erupted in celebration as Valverde was mobbed by teammates. On the sidelines, Carlo Ancelotti, who had earlier expressed his visible frustration at the disallowed goal, sprinted towards Valverde and embraced him tightly – a gesture that spoke volumes about the tension and relief speaking in the Real Madrid camp.
Ancelotti later spoke to the media, offering his thoughts on the VAR controversy. “This is modern football. We have to live with it, although sometimes it feels like we’re watching a different game,” he said. “But I’m proud of how my players handled the pressure. We never gave up.”
With this victory, Real Madrid solidified their position at the top of La Liga, maintaining their edge over rivals Barcelona. Yet the shadow of the VAR incident still loomed large, sparking renewed conversations about the role of technology in football and whether it truly improves the sport’s integrity.
As the season approaches its climax, matches like these serve as a stark reminder of how every decision, every moment, can change the tide of the title race. For now, Real Madrid are celebrating a hard-fought victory – but the debate surrounding VAR is far from over.
