Alaves manager hits out at refereeing decision after Real Madrid youngster’s controversial foul

Alaves manager Luis Garcia Plaza expressed his frustration following Real Madrid’s 3-2 win on Tuesday, focusing on a controversial incident involving young forward Endrick.

The Alaves coach did not hold back, particularly in his criticism of a specific moment during the match that he believed deserved harsher punishment for the Brazilian teenager.

The incident occurred when Endrick, during an off-the-ball clash, appeared to knee Alaves defender Santiago Mourino inside the penalty box.

The referee issued a yellow card to Endrick for the altercation, but Garcia Plaza was adamant that a red card should have been given.

His frustration was clear, as he believed that VAR should have intervened and reviewed the situation more thoroughly. For Garcia Plaza, the decision was a clear mistake, and he felt that Endrick’s action warranted a much more severe consequence.

“We should have played the last 10 minutes against ten. Sometimes it may seem like a red card, but this is what it is. And I understand that the referee doesn’t see it, but that’s what the VAR is for,” said Garcia Plaza as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.

Words with Carlo Ancelotti

The match, which was expected to be pretty much straightforward, turned out to be more contentious, especially in the closing stages.

After the final whistle, Garcia Plaza approached Real Madrid’s manager Carlo Ancelotti to express his discontent over the referee’s decision regarding Endrick.

However, Ancelotti, in his typical calm manner, chose not to escalate the matter. Instead, he addressed the issue briefly during the post-match press conference.

Ancelotti later admitted that he had not seen the incident in real-time and had not watched any replays, but he acknowledged that a discussion took place between the two managers.

“It was because of Endrick’s action, but I have not seen it on the field or repeated. We have spoken about the matter, but without any problem and without any confrontation,” said the Real Madrid manager.

This incident cast a shadow over an otherwise thrilling match, with the focus shifting from the on-field performance to the referee’s handling of Endrick’s challenge.

While Real Madrid secured the win, the debate over the referee’s decision and the role of VAR in such moments continued to dominate the post-match discussions.