CTA admits Kang-In should have been sent off in Madrid derby
The Spanish Technical Committee of Referees has reviewed controversial incidents from the Atletico-Real Madrid match, confirming a VAR error regarding Kang-In Lee.
The Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) has publicly analyzed the officiating during the recent Madrid derby between Atletico and Real Madrid. The review focused on two specific incidents that sparked debate during the match.
The committee acknowledged a significant error regarding Kang-In Lee, noting that the South Korean should have been sent off for a dangerous tackle on Fede Valverde before halftime. «Kang-In Lee lunged to cut off Valverde's advance. He made contact with his studs on the leg, causing joint torsion and a high risk of injury. It was a clear and manifest error by the referee; the VAR should have intervened,» the CTA confirmed.
Regarding the challenge by Cuti Romero on Jude Bellingham, the committee defended the referee's decision to issue only a yellow card. The incident was initially flagged as a foul against the Real Madrid player, but VAR corrected the identity of the offender.
Cuti Romero, after playing the ball, stepped on Bellingham's leg. There is high interpretative intensity. The referee confused the direction of the foul. The stomp occurred in the same incident evaluated by the official, who correctly judged it as reckless. Technical Committee of Referees
The CTA also addressed the penalty and red card situation involving Giuliano Simeone and Huijsen, confirming that the VAR intervention was correct as the attacker was in a clear goal-scoring position.