4 referee choices, all reviewed by the VAR, monopolized the primary a part of a match that was performed to the restrict and with most rigidity
Actual Madrid and Manchester Metropolis had a primary half of monumental depth on the Santiago Bernabéu, but in addition filled with referee choices that conditioned the event of the match. Two minutes later, Clément Turpin unleashed the euphoria of the stadium by awarding a penalty for a foul by Gvardiol on VinÃcius. The Brazilian even celebrated on his knees on the grass, satisfied he had the preliminary blow. Nevertheless, the VAR instantly corrected, the contact had been exterior the realm and the motion remained a direct free kick. Fede Valverde executed the rehearsed play, whose shot was deflected by O’Reilly by centimeters. It was the primary warning of an evening marked by technological intervention.
The second controversial motion got here a couple of minutes later, when VinÃcius claimed the hand of Matheus Nunes after a cross from the left. The ball clearly hit the Portuguese participant’s arm, though he had it near his physique. Turpin, with the assist of the VAR, interpreted that the place was pure and determined to not award a penalty. The protests on the Bernabéu have been intense, however the sport continued.
THE REMOUNTED CONTROVERSY
At 1-1, which got here after an error by Courtois when he left a rebound at will for Nico O’Reilly, Actual Madrid protested two earlier actions within the nook, a contact by Rubén Dias on Rüdiger and a block by Bernardo Silva that would have made it troublesome for the Belgian goalkeeper to exit. Though the protest was not as vehement as in earlier performs, it may be interpreted that each actions influenced the play. Turpin didn’t evaluation the motion on the display screen and the purpose went up on the scoreboard with out VAR intervention.
The fourth controversy, and probably the most decisive of the primary half, got here with Rüdiger grabbing Haaland inside the realm. The German grabbed the Norwegian striker in a dispute that the referee allowed to proceed stay, however the VAR known as the French referee to evaluation it. After seeing it on the monitor, he awarded a penalty. Haaland, who had barely touched three balls earlier than the motion, transformed his first purpose on the Bernabéu to finish the English comeback. The choice generated robust indignation within the stands as a result of disparity in standards in comparison with what occurred within the different space minutes earlier than.
The match went to half-time with Xabi Alonso’s crew aggressive and vertical, with an impressed Rodrygo, a really intense Bellingham and a plan that made Guardiola’s crew uncomfortable in a number of sections. However in addition they left with the sensation that, with two clear errors, and that, as well as, the referee’s choices ended up favoring the English crew, the preliminary benefit slipped away very simply.


























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