Refereeing controversy follows Real Madrid's 4-1 victory over Sevilla

Real Madrid defeated Sevilla 4-1 on October 18, 2026, at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Following the match, Sevilla's manager, Luis Garcia Plaza, expressed strong dissatisfaction with the officiating, specifically regarding a 25th-minute incident where Real Madrid midfielder Arda Guler appeared to strike an opponent off the ball. Although Guler scored the opening goal five minutes after the incident, Sevilla officials argued he should have been sent off, which would have forced Real Madrid to play with ten men for the majority of the match.

Sevilla has since released video documentation to support their claim, with Garcia Plaza stating that the failure to intervene was a mistake by the VAR team rather than the on-field referee. In response, Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho declined to comment on the allegations, citing a lack of clear footage of the incident. Mourinho stated that his analysts could not find evidence of the strike, but promised to address the matter in his next press conference if conclusive proof emerges.

While Mourinho acknowledged the victory, he also criticized general refereeing trends, suggesting that his team is often treated unfairly compared to others. The situation remains a point of tension as the club continues to protest the officiating decisions that they believe prevented a fair competitive environment.