The meeting between Real Madrid and Olympique de Marseille (2-1) on Tuesday evening was marked by a controversy around the penalty granted to the Madrid club in the 81st minute following a hand of Facundo Medina. This decision was widely challenged by the Marseillais like coach Roberto de Zerbi.
“” It's a shameful penaltyhe said. The second, the one whistled against Facundo Medina. He is not there. I would also have said if he had been whistled for us for me, it is not a penalty, never. Neither at Bernabeu, nor at the Vélodrome, Nor at Real Sociedad, nowhere. And I have no ulterior motives, I don't want to make controversy. I just say that there was no penalty. Point “, he said.
Phocaeans are not the only ones to scandal in scandal. Former international referee Saïd Ennjimi also believes, at the microphone of the L'Equipe chain, that the whistled penalty is ” extremely severe ». He points to the arbitral error.
Unanimous Spaniards
It is not only in France that the penalty is judged as litigious. In Spain, reactions seem unanimous: Real Madrid did not deserve this second penalty. “” The penalty was not tuned correctly, because it was a natural action. The player threw himself on the ground and his arm could not reach the ball “Indicates Alfonso Pérez Burull, former Spanish referee, at the microphone ofEl Marcador Broadcast on Marca radio waves.
Same observation for Mateu Lahoz, another former international referee, consultant for Movistar: “I think the defender does what he should do. His foot is blocking and his arm is used to balance. His arm has a natural position. For me, there should never have been a penalty. It's clear and obvious, otherwise you can't do anything at all. Players will injure themselves much more if they can no longer rely on their arms when they fall. »»
A decision which therefore continues to make people speak. Note that with this penalty, Real Madrid breaks a record: that of the club having had the most penalties granted in C1 (63 in 504 matches), thus exceeding Bayern Munich (62 in 408 matches).
