We lost because of referee — Sevilla player and coach question officiating after Real Madrid defeat
Sevilla right-back Juan Iglesias has launched a scathing attack on LALIGA officiating, claiming his side was robbed during their comprehensive 4-1 defeat to Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The 28-year-old defender refused to hold back in his post-match assessment, insisting that crucial refereeing decisions dictated the outcome of Sunday's fiery encounter.
His anger was primarily directed at a controversial first-half incident that allowed Real Madrid to maintain eleven men on the pitch.
What Iglesias said
Iglesias accused the match officials of ignoring a blatant red card offense committed by Real Madrid midfielder Arda Güler.
"The match was decided by the decisions made by the referees," an infuriated Iglesias told reporters following the final whistle.
"Güler assaulted Peque in the first half. At 2-0, there's a foul by Konaté on Robbie Ure," he added, listing the pivotal moments that went against his side.
Juan Iglesias, jugador del Sevilla, en Movistar: "El partido se ha decidido por las decisiones que han tomado los árbitros". "Güler agredió a Peque en la primera parte. En el 2-0 hay una falta de Konaté a Robbie Ure. Sabíamos a lo que veníamos al Santiago Bernabéu".
— Albert Ortega (@AlbertOrtegaES1) October 18, 2026
The defender concluded his fiery rant by suggesting that visiting teams are inherently disadvantaged in the Spanish capital, stating, "We knew what we were coming up against at the Santiago Bernabéu."
The Güler turning point
The incident involving Güler proved to be the turning point in the fixture. During a heated exchange, the Turkish international appeared to throw a deliberate elbow at Sevilla attacker Peque.
Despite furious protests from the visiting players, neither the on-field referee nor the VAR intervened to issue a dismissal.
Rumours circulating after the match suggested that the video assistant referee was unable to review the incident properly because no available broadcast camera angle provided a conclusive view of the contact.
Escaping the red card proved completely devastating for Sevilla, as Güler remained on the pitch and subsequently opened the scoring with a brilliant curled finish into the top corner.
A backdrop of hypocrisy
Had the midfielder been correctly sent off, the entire complexion of the match would have drastically shifted in Sevilla's favour.
Instead, Real Madrid capitalised on the momentum, sweeping aside the visitors to secure a vital 4-1 victory.
🚨 Luis Garcia Plaza (Sevilla coach: "The referee should've SENT OFF Arda Güler. It was a clear red. We should've played at 11vs10 for 70 minutes. And he should've RULED OUT Mbappé's first goal because there was a FOUL by Konaté. I don't know why VAR didn't call the referee, maybe because REAL MADRID COULDN'T DROP MORE POINTS BEFORE EL CLASICO. MAYBE BECAUSE IF THEY LET US WIN TONIGHT, THEY WOULD BE 9 POINTS BEHIND.”
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) October 18, 2026
The Sevilla coaching staff also echoed Iglesias' frustrations on the touchline, slamming the glaring inconsistencies in the referee's decision-making throughout the 90 minutes.
The bitter complaints from the Andalusian club add a layer of irony to the current LALIGA narrative, as they arrive during a season where Real Madrid themselves have repeatedly and aggressively criticised the standard of Spanish refereeing.