Real Madrid secured a victory against Sevilla, while manager José Mourinho addressed post-match controversy surrounding an incident involving Arda Güler. The fixture brought renewed tension off the pitch as home supporters directed chants at league president Javier Tebas, while Sevilla manager Luis García Plaza questioned officiating decisions after his side fell short in the capital.
The fixture unfolded against a backdrop of institutional friction at the Bernabéu. During the opening five minutes of the match, the Grada Fans de Chamartín displayed banners reading «No es LaLiga, son Tebas y Negreira» and chanted for the resignation of the league president, amid ongoing fallout over disciplinary actions involving Vinícius Júnior and verbal clashes between the club and league executives. Similar chants targeted Barcelona president Joan Laporta and the Spanish Football Federation.
Tactically, Mourinho altered his defensive setup by deploying Federico Valverde as a starting right-back for the first time in the current campaign. Despite previously describing the Uruguay international as a central midfielder, the manager opted to start both Trent Alexander-Arnold and Denzel Dumfries on the bench. The positional shift moved Güler into a central pairing alongside Aurélien Tchouaméni, a move that paid early dividends when the Turkish midfielder scored to open the scoring.
Güler Incident and Refereeing Complaints
The primary flashpoint arrived during the first half when Güler became entangled in a physical duel with Sevilla player Peque, leaving the visiting player on the turf. Sevilla players immediately appealed for a direct red card, and referee Busquets Ferrer consulted the video assistant referee (VAR) team, though he ultimately chose not to review the monitor pitchside. At halftime, Sevilla defender Kike Salas labeled the challenge an obvious red card that altered the match.
In his post-match press conference, Sevilla coach Luis García Plaza escalated the complaints by suggesting that officiating decisions might be influenced by league standings. García Plaza remarked, perhaps they didn’t call him to the VAR monitor because if we win, we go to within nine points of Barça before the clásico.
He added that the major clubs—Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atlético Madrid—benefit from a distinct competitive advantage over the rest of the division.
Mourinho Dismisses Post-Match Protests
Listening from the press room entrance before his own media session, Mourinho initially offered a flat no comments
before expanding on the refereeing debate. The manager challenged the media’s focus on the incident, stating that neither he nor his technical staff had been able to locate clear television footage supporting Sevilla’s claims.
Nobody has managed to show me what they say happened, I don’t have a single image,
Mourinho said. I asked for television images, from our analysts, and I haven’t been able to see anything of what they are talking about. I don’t understand the obsession with four questions about something that no one has seen happen.
When questioned about whether he feared losing Güler to suspension, Mourinho maintained that the speculation was unfounded, emphasizing that his focus remained on the team’s performance.
Focus Shifts to European Action
With the domestic fixture secured, Real Madrid turned preparations toward their upcoming UEFA Champions League fixture scheduled for midweek. Mourinho reiterated in his post-match remarks that he refuses to discuss league opponents until the match on Wednesday in the Champions League is over.
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