«It was not a penalty»: Former Spanish referee exposes controversial decision in Madrid derby

As expected, the refereeing controversies surrounding the Madrid derby at the Wanda Metropolitano (Atlético — Real 2:1) from the 7th round of the Spanish La Liga are causing widespread discussions among international experts. Well-known former Spanish referee and analyst Pavel Fernández issued an official response regarding the decisive incident in the 50th minute that completely changed the outcome of the match — the sending off of Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen and the penalty awarded in favor of Atlético.

Referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias initially showed a yellow card to Huijsen, but after going to the VAR monitor to review the situation, he escalated his decision, giving the young defender a direct red card and awarding an 11-meter penalty kick (which Alejandro Grimaldo converted into a goal). Analyzing the episode step by step on his X (formerly Twitter) page, Pavel Fernández stated that there was no penalty at all and that Simeone's son skillfully took advantage of the situation: "There was a very light holding by Dean Huijsen, and Giuliano Simeone went down as soon as he felt the contact. This was not a penalty".

So, to what extent does this expert statement worsen the refereeing crisis in La Liga, and how did this unfair decision affect the balance of power in the standings?

«Light contact and acting»: Key points of Pavel Fernández's analysis

The main conclusions and details of the debate mentioned by the expert:

• The nature of the contact: No excessive force aimed at stopping the opponent was used by Dean Huijsen, only a light hold was observed;

• Giuliano's simulation: Atlético winger Giuliano Simeone fell artificially not because he was stopped, but the moment he felt physical contact;

• Error in VAR intervention: According to the former referee, head referee Ortiz Arias drew the wrong conclusion even after viewing the VAR monitor and should not have pointed to the 11-meter spot;

• The double punishment problem: Showing a red card and awarding a penalty simultaneously in the episode put Real Madrid in an absolute disadvantage;

• Direct impact on the result: Alejandro Grimaldo's goal from this controversial penalty laid the groundwork for the "colchoneros" 2:1 victory.

Madrid derby (Round 7): Statistics of the Huijsen and Simeone episode

Comparison of the referee's decision and expert analysis:

Refereeing expertise: Why is this decision shaking La Liga?

Conclusions of Spanish football insiders and referee committee observers:

• Proof of Mourinho's objection: Real Madrid head coach José Mourinho's post-match words that «The referee was a small-game official, VAR has a long history against us» were fully confirmed by Fernández's professional conclusion;

• Violation of VAR protocol: According to modern rules, video replay should only call the head referee to the monitor in case of a "clear and obvious error". VAR's intervention in a situation with light contact contradicts system principles;

• Valuable twist in the standings: Precisely because of this unfair penalty and red card, Atlético rose to 2nd place with 16 points, while Real Madrid remained on 15 points, lagging a significant 6 points behind leaders Barcelona (21 points);

• Pressure on the Spanish Referee Committee: Independent referees acknowledging this decision as an "error" could lead to the suspension of future appointments for Ortiz Arias and video assistant referee Trujillo.

This statement by Pavel Fernández further strengthened suspicions that the victory in the Madrid derby was not the result of fair play, but rather the product of a gross refereeing error.

In your opinion, did Dean Huijsen's light holding really not warrant a penalty, or is the former referee taking Real Madrid's side? Do you consider Giuliano Simeone's fall to be skillful acting? Leave your personal thoughts and comments below and share this analysis of La Liga's most controversial refereeing debate with all football fans!