The mystery of the 26 cameras at the Bernabeu: how did the controversial Guler incident footage disappear?

A never-ending saga

The clash between Arda Guler and Sevilla's Pique sparked widespread controversy during Real Madrid's meeting with the Andalusians at the Santiago Bernabeu. Some called for the Turkey international to be sent off in the 24th minute of the first half, after an incident that drew no intervention from VAR.

Catalan newspaper "Mundo Deportivo" report that the 26 cameras at the Santiago Bernabeu were not enough to settle the Guler incident. The video technology room had no footage proving conclusively that the player committed a sending-off offence, which explains why on-field referee Mateo Busquets Ferrer was never summoned to review the incident on the screen.

Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez, the VAR official for the match, did not intervene because there was no clear evidence of an offence warranting a review. That falls in line with FIFA's video technology protocol, which demands a clear and obvious error before the technology can step in.

Here lies the catch. Video technology in the Spanish league relies on images from the official television broadcast, produced by La Liga and used by Movistar and DAZN to show matches.

A large number of cameras inside the stadium does not necessarily mean every angle is available to the video referees, or that the recorded images provide conclusive evidence in every incident.

Real Madrid and Barcelona fixtures draw the heaviest television coverage, particularly the Clasico and the Madrid derby. Even so, that does not guarantee a clear image for every controversial moment, according to the Catalan newspaper.