Alvaro Arbeloa says the referee “can’t send a player off for a thing like that”
Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa said it was clear that Eduardo Camavinga’s late red card was responsible for side’s Champions League quarter-final exit to Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
Madrid were leading 3-2 at the Allianz Arena, with the tie level at 4-4, when Camavinga was sent off in the 86th minute after receiving a second yellow card from referee Slavko Vincic.
Already on a yellow card after coming on in the second half, Camavinga foolishly carried the ball away after Vincic had awarded Bayern a free kick, an act that requires the referee to give a yellow card according to the laws of the game.
The dismissal immediately changed the tie and Bayern capitalised quickly, Luis Diaz firing them ahead on aggregate just three minutes later, before Michael Olise added a goal in the final seconds to seal a 6-4 aggregate victory.
Arda Guler, who had scored twice earlier in the match, was also sent off after the final whistle for remonstrating with the referee in front of the tunnel.
“I think so, it’s obvious [that the red card decided the game],” Arbeloa said. “You can’t send a player off for a thing like that. I think the referee didn’t even know that [Camavinga] already had a yellow card.”
Midfielder Jude Bellingham was equally critical of the decision, describing it as “a joke” as he passed through the mixed zone. “Two fouls [by Camavinga], two yellow cards,” Bellingham said.
Defender Antonio Rudiger declined to go into detail but made his frustration clear. Rudiger said: “It’s better not to talk. You saw it, right?”
