Archivo VAR: Calatrava should have been sent off in the third minute

Referee José María Sánchez Martínez needed less than three minutes to make the first controversial decision of Real Madrid’s season. Álex Calatrava fouled Vinícius near the touchline and then kicked the Brazilian in the back while he was lying on the ground. No card was shown, while VAR decided there was no reason to intervene.

According to Archivo VAR, the Espanyol player should have received a straight red card. The kick was not particularly forceful, but the ball was already out of play and Calatrava’s action had no sporting purpose. Its only intention was to strike an opponent.

That leniency quickly became important. Calatrava stayed on the pitch and scored Espanyol’s equaliser in the 30th minute. First he escaped punishment, then he punished Real Madrid. LaLiga can produce scripts that would be rejected for being too obvious.

Cala finally received a yellow card two minutes after his goal following another confrontation with Vinícius. Early in the second half, he also made a late challenge on Álvaro Carreras, prompting Real Madrid’s players to demand another booking.

Not every refereeing expert agreed that the opening incident warranted a straight red. Iturralde González described it as a clear yellow card because the kick lacked excessive force. However, he also believed the later challenge on Carreras deserved a booking. Even under that more lenient interpretation, Cala might not have finished the match.

Jude Bellingham gave Real Madrid the lead in the ninth minute, but Calatrava’s equaliser kept Espanyol in the contest until the closing stages. Carlos Espí finally settled the match in the 90th minute, securing a dramatic 2–1 victory for José Mourinho’s side.

Mourinho defended Vinícius after the final whistle. He acknowledged that the Brazilian is not blameless and must control his emotions, but also pointed to the repeated fouls and provocations directed at him. This time Real Madrid produced the best possible response — not another confrontation, but a winning goal in the final minute.

Sources: Archivo VAR’s assessment, Iturralde González’s analysis in “AS”, match report and Mourinho’s comments — Reuters