Why Arda Guler Wasn’t Sent Off During Real Madrid’s Win Against Sevilla
Real Madrid is often the club complaining about referees and perceived injustices.
Only last month, Los Blancos blamed a referee for losing against city rivals Atlético. The club’s own match report was titled, “A dreadful refereeing performance decides the derby,” amid cries for two Atlético players to be sent off in the first half alone.
Real Madrid were also unhappy last weekend when Vinícius Júnior was sent off for a hair pull.
Towards the end of last season, the referees had hit back, filing formal complaints against Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez and Real Madrid TV in an effort to “combat any manifestation of violence, harassment or discrediting of refereeing.”
Hitting back at Real Madrid over the topic was even the source of a shocking Javier Tebas statement last week that prompted a furious response from the club.
It means plenty of irony now that it seems like the shoe is on the other foot and Real Madrid are accused of benefiting from a controversial decision in Sunday’s 4–1 win over Sevilla.
Sevilla wanted to see Arda Güler shown a red card in the first half, when the match was still tied at 0–0. The incident in question involved Güler and Sevilla midfielder Peque Fernández, with the latter appearing to pull back at the former during a passage of play.
Güler’s response seemed to be an attempt to free himself with the use of arm. Sevilla believe that was an act of violent conduct and should have resulted in his ejection.
Sevilla manager Luis García wanted to know why the VAR official did not intervene, going so far as to hint at some sort of conspiracy. “Why didn’t they call the VAR officials?” he fumed postgame. “Maybe so they don’t get nine points [behind Barcelona] ahead of the Clásico.”
García admitted Real Madrid deserved to win the 11 vs. 11 match that took place, but insists Sevilla were “deprived” of playing another with a “man advantage from the 25th minute.”
The manager continued: “At half time, Peque was telling me that [Güler] had hit him. It’s a red card. We need to talk to the VAR official more than the referee. The referee might not see it; he doesn’t have eyes in the back of his head. And even more so when Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid or Barcelona are playing, when there are more cameras.”
VAR Didn’t Have Conclusive Evidence
It may have been cameras, or a lack of adequate cameras angles, that was the issue. The television replays captured the incident, but only from a distance and not in the detail required to determine whether intervention and punishment would be appropriate.
The radio station Cadena SER cited a source from Spain’s Technical Committee of Referees that explained: “VAR has the same cameras as the television broadcast. If there was no intervention, it’s because there is no clear and unquestionable evidence of violent conduct.”
Iturralde González, a refereeing expert for AS and Cadena SER, said the lack of available evidence to assess the incident was “pathetic” in a competition that has ambitions to be viewed as the best domestic league in the world. “It seems there was something there, but there wasn’t a clear replay to determine it. I see [Güler] throw his arm, but you can’t see it hit [Peque] in the face because the images are so poor.
“It’s pathetic … if we’re the best league in the world, this level of replay quality shouldn’t be the case. To send off a player, there can’t be any doubt, and with the available footage, you can’t say whether there was an elbow or not.”
Arda Guler Denies ‘Something That Wasn’t Seen’
The lack of definitive proof is what José Mourinho also pointed to when the topic was unsurprisingly raised in his postgame interaction with reporters.
“Nobody has been able to show me what they say happened,” he shrugged.
“I don’t have a single image. I’ve asked everyone for images, including my staff, and I haven’t been able to find any footage of the things they’re talking about that have upset Luis.
“I’m telling you honestly that if something happens that has benefited us, I won’t have any problem coming forward and saying so. But I think the opposite is going to happen much more often because that's the natural tendency.
“If someone sends me a clear image by Saturday of something I haven’t seen, and that Güler also says didn’t happen, I’ll be there. But for now, nothing. I ask you: have any of you seen a clear image? I don’t understand the obsession with something that wasn’t even seen.”
