Atlético of Madrid took to social media to express dissatisfaction with the refereeing of the last Madrid derby against Real Madrid. The club published an ironic message accompanied by an image of the controversial move and the popcorn symbol. The publication occurred a few hours after the end of the match valid for round 29 of LaLiga EA Sports, played at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium on March 22, 2026.
In the message, Atlético explicitly mentions waiting for program 26 from Tempo from Revisão from Comitê Técnico from Árbitros and from Real Federación Española from The action highlights the entry of Dani Carvajal on Marcos Llorente, which the club considers a clear penalty not signaled by referee Munuera Montero. The final result was a 3-2 win for Real Madrid.
- Image of Carvajal’s entry in Llorente has been attached to the post.
- Popcorn symbol indicates ironic tone about future review.
- Direct mention of @RFEF and @CTARFEF reinforces the recipient of the charge.
🍿 Esperando program 26 of Tiempo of@RFEF y @CTARFEF. pic.twitter.com/jKRY9L84CX
— Atlético from Madrid (@Atleti)March 24, 2026
The club also recalled another strong tackle by Carvajal on Giuliano Simeone that could have resulted in a yellow or red card. Durante the entire match, only two fouls were scored against Real Madrid, a number considered low by the Rojiblancos. Jogadores of Atlético showed immediate frustration on the pitch.
Arbitration in the derby generates debate between rivals
Referee Munuera Montero led the classic with several decisions contested by both sides. Atlético maintains that the failure to award the penalty against Llorente changed the course of the confrontation. The visiting team applied a lot of pressure in the second half, but were unable to equalize.
Cardoso, who played in the match, declared at the end of the game that it was a very clear penalty. Atlético’s complaint is not isolated, as Real Madrid also questioned some markings. Mesmo therefore, the colchonero club chose to publicly register its dissatisfaction through the official account on X.
The publication reinforces the history of arbitration tensions between the two clubs in recent derbies. In previous confrontations, Atlético has already used the same channel to point out supposed flaws against Real Madrid. The strategy keeps the debate alive even after the final whistle.
Details of the controversial play and context of the game
Marcos Llorente received the entry from Carvajal inside the penalty area at a decisive moment. The move occurred when Atlético was looking for a reaction on the scoreboard. Imagens of the broadcast and replays showed clear contact that, according to the club, deserved a penalty.
Giuliano Simeone also suffered another harsh challenge from the same Merengue defender. Atlético argues that the offense did not receive the appropriate punishment with a card. The low number of fouls given to Real Madrid during the 90 minutes caught the attention of the Rojiblanca team.
The derby ended with a 3-2 victory for Real Madrid. The result kept the home team in the fight for the top positions in LaLiga. Atlético continues to fight for a place in European competitions following the 2025/2026 season.
Immediate reactions and complaint history
Players and coaching staff at Atlético demonstrated nonconformity right after the final whistle at Bernabéu. Cardoso’s statement echoed the collective sentiment within the visiting locker room. Publication on social media expanded the reach of this vision.
The club has already adopted a similar stance in another derby refereed by Soto Grado. On Nessas occasions, Atlético uses X as a tool to record perceptions about controversial moves. The approach maintains pressure on arbitral bodies.
RFEF and CTARFEF publish weekly Tempo and Revisão programs with analysis of plays. Program 26 had not yet been released at the time of Atlético’s posting. The irony lies precisely in the expectation for the official analysis of that match.
Context of the season and upcoming challenges
Atlético of Madrid disputes position in the LaLiga EA Sports table after the setback in the classic. The team accumulates important points in other rounds, but the derby represented a lost opportunity to add to their direct rivals. The calendar continues with important clashes in the coming weeks.
Refereeing remains a sensitive topic in Spanish football. Clubes of different sizes use official channels to question decisions. In the case of Atlético, the message served to document the point of view on the specific move.
The RFEF review program typically covers plays from recent games with technical analysis. Edition 26 must include matches from round 29, according to the standard adopted by the committee. Atlético awaits this publication to check whether the claimed penalty will be commented on.
Publication maintains open debate about the classic
Atlético’s Madrid strategy generated immediate repercussions among fans and the specialized press. The message combines image, symbol and short text to convey the message directly. The club avoids longer statements on other official channels.
The derby on March 22, 2026 joined the list of clashes with refereeing controversy. Ambos the teams complained about markings, but Atlético chose to highlight the unmarked move. The rivalry between Real Madrid and Atlético remains intense on and off the field.
The 2025/2026 season progresses with balance at the top of the table. Atlético seeks recovery in the next games to maintain objectives set at the beginning of the championship. Public charges are part of the daily life of fierce disputes in LaLiga.
Club reinforces position on game moves
Atlético of Madrid tends to carefully analyze all matches, especially those against their biggest rival. The publication on X serves as a formal record of the team’s perception of the arbitration. The ironic tone seeks to attract attention without direct confrontation.
Bids like Carvajal in Llorente generate technical discussions about rule interpretation. CTARFEF uses review programs to clarify criteria adopted by referees. Atlético awaits the analysis to compare it with its vision of what happened.
The published message reinforces the internal unity of the Rojiblanco squad. Jogadores and managers closely monitor decisions that impact results. The focus remains on preparing for the next commitments of the season.
Expectation for the official review program
The Tempo of Revisão is the RFEF’s usual tool for arbitration transparency. Cada edition analyzes selected plays from recent rounds with detailed explanations. Atlético specifically mentioned program 26 as the next step after the derby.
The publication took place on March 24, 2026, two days after the match. The club chose to act quickly to keep the issue in the spotlight. The irony with popcorn suggests patience while waiting for official technical analysis.
Atlético of Madrid remains competitive in LaLiga and on other fronts of the season. The arbitration complaint does not change the team’s daily planning, but publicly registers dissatisfaction with the Bernabéu episode.
