VAR audio of penalty incident in Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid comes to light | OneFootball

The Madrid Derby lived up to its reputation, filled with intensity and controversy. The clash ended in a draw, but one particular incident became a talking point—the penalty awarded against Aurelien Tchouameni for a foul on Samu Lino during the first half.

This decision allowed Julian Alvarez to put Atletico in the lead. After the match, Movistar+ revealed the audio from the conversation between the on-field referee, Soto Grado, and VAR official Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea.

What was discussed?

The VAR official started by recommending an On-Field Review (OFR) to Soto Grado, suggesting that he assess a possible penalty.

“Cesar I recommend an OFR to evaluate a possible penalty,” the VAR official said.

When Soto Grado approached the monitor, De Burgos Bengoetxea presented him with multiple video angles. Initially, the footage was unclear, but the VAR team then provided higher-quality visuals.

“This is the action, I have it swept, which is not very clear, but then I put one with more quality. Now I put it on with more quality, so you can see the stomp.”

Upon reviewing the images, Soto Grado noted that Tchouameni had stepped on Lino with his cleats.

“He steps on him there with cleats. Give me another. Let’s see if you have one that can be seen from behind.”

He asked for additional angles to confirm the foul, but De Burgos Bengoetxea informed him that the available footage was already the best they had. “They are the best quality, the others are very swept away.”

The decision

After a thorough review, Soto Grado made the decision to award a penalty but chose not to issue any warning to Tchouameni. Despite protests from Real Madrid players, including Bellingham, Lucas Vazquez, and Ceballos, the referee stood by his decision.

“I’m going to give a penalty. I’m not going to give him a warning. Only penalty.”

Real Madrid’s frustrations were evident, as the players spent considerable time appealing to the referee. However, their efforts were in vain, and the penalty call remained intact.

This controversial moment added to the drama of the match and will likely be debated for some time. While the decision ultimately stood, it highlighted the ongoing challenges referees face in making critical calls, even with VAR technology.