Espanyol manager defends his player after controversial Real Madrid win – ‘It was to stop, not to hurt’ | OneFootball

Real Madrid’s defeat to Espanyol last night was perhaps the most controversial game of Los Blancos’ season so far and it is safe to say they were robbed of three points.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men should have secured a numerical advantage over the Catalans when Carlos Romero lashed out a vicious challenge that warranted a red card.

However, the referee and VAR did not intervene and the Spaniard went on to score the winner on the night.

Espanyol manager speaks

Speaking to the media after his team’s win over Real Madrid, Espanyol manager Manolo Gonzalez was emphatic and did not hold back in pouring out his happiness.

Unsurprisingly, however, he was asked about the potential red card that his player Carlos Romero should have earned and how it directly impacted the result.

Carlos Romero defended his player. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

“It was rough, but a yellow. It was to stop a counter, not to hurt. If he had hooked him, it could have been red,” he said, refuting the claim that his player should have been sent off.

“Romero is not an aggressive player and his entrance was without any evil,” he added.

The manager also spoke about what his team did right against the league leaders which helped them take all three points and lift themselves from the relegation zone.

“It’s time to keep working because there’s a lot of work left. The key against Real Madrid has been to defend well and keep the goal at zero. Physically we were spectacular.”

“The level of training is very good and the pace of the week, very high. We made a great defensive effort,” he added.

Finally, he spoke about how his side were always close to Real Madrid last night and deserved the win.

“These are three very important points, both at the emotional and mental level. We are tired of hearing that we have no level. In this game, we worked and we were very close.”

Source: Mundo Deportivo