The explanation Arbeloa received from the referee after Valverde’s red card: ‘Intention is to take him down’ | OneFootball

The Madrid derby delivered yet another moment of controversy, as Federico Valverde was shown a red card during Real Madrid’s 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu. 

The decision became one of the most debated incidents of the match, leaving both players and coaching staff visibly surprised.

The sending-off came after Valverde’s challenge on Alex Baena, with referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero making an immediate call. 

To everyone’s surprise, the official, after the incident, took the unusual step of explaining his decision directly to Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa.

What did the referee say?

As cameras captured the exchange between the two, the referee was seen justifying his decision in detail. 

“Listen to me for a second and then ask me. Can I speak? He’s not playing the ball. 

“He’s coming from behind, not playing the ball, and his only intention is to take him down with excessive force,” the referee told Arbeloa.

Despite the explanation, Arbeloa was far from convinced. The Real Madrid coach, who had a clear view of the incident from the touchline, responded with visible frustration. 

Questioning the referee’s interpretation, he replied, “You’ve played football. You’ll see it later…,” Arbeloa said to Munuera Montero.

Notably, Valverde was dismissed in the 77th minute, with Real Madrid holding a narrow 3-2 lead. 

At that stage of the match, the decision shifted momentum in favour of Atletico Madrid, who sensed an opportunity to salvage a result.

For the remaining minutes, Los Blancos were forced into a heavy defence, holding off sustained pressure from their city rivals. 

Atletico pushed forward aggressively in search of an equaliser, testing Madrid’s resilience in the closing stages. 

However, despite the numerical disadvantage, Real Madrid managed to maintain their structure and see out the game.