Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti launched a furious tirade at officials after a “made up” handball decision cost his side against Girona at the weekend.
The reigning La Liga champions looked en route to victory at the Santiago Bernabeu after Brazilian sensation Vinicius Jr had given them the lead in the 70th minute. Controversy struck though with the referee electing that Marco Asensio had committed a handball offence as Los Blancos attempted to defend a set piece.
Former Middlesbrough striker Christhian Stuani equalised from the penalty spot but the referee was not quite finished having an impact on the match. Rodrygo thought he had restored Real’s lead in the final moments but his goal was chalked off for an apparent foul on the Girona goalkeeper before Toni Kroos was awarded a red card in stoppage time.
After the full-time whistle, Ancelotti was left incensed with the officiating and claimed that the referee had invented Asensio’s handball.
As quoted by Marca, the Italian said: "I don't like to talk about this, but today I am going to do it. The first situation is quite clear, it is not a penalty because he does not touch the ball with his hand. I have spoken with Asensio and he tells me that he has hit him in the chest.
“It is true that the left hand is in a bit of a strange position. If he touches the ball with his hand there could be a doubt, but he simply does not give the ball with his hand. They have made it up.
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“The second situation is a bit more debatable. The rule is clear, there was no clear control, but there you can give your opinion. I'm not going to discuss this.
“What surprises me is the penalty, which came at an important moment in the game, it was on track, although it cost us a lot. After this situation, we have two points less in the table.”
Ancelotti wasn’t the only one to have been left baffled by the officiating at the weekend. Former Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has admitted his confusion at the inconsistency in the application of the handball law this season.
He said: “I haven't seen the replay, so I can't have an opinion. They say it came after a deflection, that it hit Marco on the chest first and then his hand. In theory, from what I remember from the talk by the referees at the start of the season, it's not a handball if it hits something else first.
“I don't think they give that in the Champions League, but they viewed it as a handball and that's all there is to it. It's very strange, sometimes it's a handball, sometimes it isn't. We don't know what is and what isn't anymore.”
The draw with Girona lifted Real Madrid back to the top of La Liga but they now only hold a one-point lead over fierce rivals Barcelona.
