Mateu Lahoz Speaks Out on Tchouaméni's Penalty, Knocks Out Anti-Madrid Sentiment

The Madrid Derby experienced a controversial action at Santiago Bernabéu. Half an hour into the match, Soto Grado, at the behest of the VAR, awarded a penalty for a stomp by Tchouaméni on Samu Lino.

Initially, the referee hadn't signaled anything. However, after reviewing the play on the monitor, he changed his decision and awarded the penalty. The decision immediately sparked a wave of protests from Real Madrid's players and a strong reaction from the stands.

Mateu Lahoz's Outrage

During the broadcast on Tiempo de Juego, former international referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz lashed out against the referee's decision.

"It's unbelievable that we've reached a point where refereeing is done through the photo, through the snapshot, through something that isn't related to the nature of the game," he criticized firmly.

Mateu lamented that the essence of soccer is being changed. "This is changing a sport that has thrilled us for many years, and they keep on insisting," he stated.

The former referee insisted that these types of decisions are denaturalizing refereeing. "If we keep allowing the VAR to be used this way, we'll soon see a completely different soccer from the one we know. The VAR was born to correct clear and obvious errors, not to judge subjective actions in slow motion," he added.

"The Referee Has the Final Say"

The former referee also reminded that the final decision still depends on the main referee.

"Let the listener know that the referee has the final say and doesn't have to listen to the VAR. It happened to me in an Alavés-Betis," he exemplified.

Mateu Lahoz explained that in his career he had similar situations where he decided to stand firm in his judgment. "When a referee is called to the monitor, they often feel the pressure to change their decision, but it's not always the right thing to do," he commented.

The Controversy Doesn't Cease

Refereeing decisions continue to generate debate in Spanish soccer. The intervention of the VAR remains a hot topic, especially in actions as disputed as the one experienced at Bernabéu.

The reactions haven't been long in coming, and social media has exploded with comments from fans and analysts about what happened. Many former players and experts have harshly criticized the use of the VAR in this play, arguing that it distorts the essence of soccer.

Some believe that these types of refereeing interventions generate distrust among fans and cast doubt on the impartiality of the referees. Others argue that the VAR must continue to evolve to avoid making these types of mistakes.

The debate is on, and it promises to remain a protagonist in the coming days. The controversy, far from dying down, continues to grow with conflicting opinions in all sectors of Spanish soccer.