Real Madrid has reignited the refereeing controversy following their victory against Valencia at Mestalla, a win that temporarily placed Carlo Ancelotti’s team as the provisional leader of La Liga. The club not only questions several refereeing decisions that influenced the match but has also focused its criticism on the disallowed goal by Kylian Mbappé for an alleged offside, an incident that has sparked controversy in recent hours.

The play in question occurred in the 59th minute, when the French striker had managed to equalize the match after a pass from Jude Bellingham. Although the goal was initially validated, the VAR ruled that Mbappé was in an offside position, based on semi-automatic offside technology. However, Real Madrid TV has cast doubt on the reliability of the “frame” used to justify the decision, arguing that it was not broadcast on television until four minutes after the play.

According to the club’s official channel, a frontal shot captured from the stands suggests that Mbappé was kept onside by Dimitri Foulquier at the moment of the pass, contradicting the VAR decision. “The choice of frame is crucial and raises serious doubts about the correct application of the technology,” stated the narrator of a video aired by the Madrid-based media outlet. Furthermore, the delay in broadcasting the image has also been criticized as an indication of a lack of transparency in the process.

In addition, the arbitration-specialized account “Archivo VAR” has also joined the debate, supporting Real Madrid's stance by pointing out that the frontal shot highlights an error in the selection of the frame used to evaluate the play.

This situation adds to other questionable decisions made during the match, such as the failure to retake Jude Bellingham’s missed penalty due to the alleged encroachment by goalkeeper Dimitrievski, or the sending off of Vinícius Jr., who, according to the club, was provoked by Valencia’s goalkeeper before reacting violently.

Real Madrid has intensified its criticism of the refereeing collective in recent weeks, questioning not only the on-field decisions but also the management of VAR and the transparency of its processes. This episode at Mestalla promises to keep the debate alive regarding the use of technology in football and its impact on results.