In the match between Racing de Santander and Real Madrid, the VAR once again took center stage when, at 71 minutes, referee José Luis Munuera Montero awarded a penalty in favor of Tchouaméni after a play that generated great controversy among Sardinero fans. The decision was reviewed in real time by the VAR team, which finally annulled the penalty, classifying the action as a “ball play.”
The incident occurred when Tchouaméni, inside the Real Madrid area, voluntarily played the ball and, unintentionally, hit it with his hand. According to the regulations, a “ball play” occurs when a defensive player voluntarily touches the ball and it accidentally bounces off his hand or arm in a natural position; In this case, it is not considered a violation and the game continues. The VAR referee, after observing the video, concluded that the ball had never touched the Racing player before reaching Tchouaméni's hand, and therefore there was no reason to sanction a penalty.
The review process was accompanied by a series of exchanges between the main referee, assistant Luis Mario Milla and the VAR team. Milla asked several times to show the exact moment of impact and to adjust the lighting for better viewing. The VAR referee explained that, upon observing the ball voluntarily played by Tchouaméni and its subsequent contact with his hand, the action did not constitute an infringement that merited a penalty. Finally, Munuera accepted the decision and ordered the ball to be placed in the goal area, without marking a penalty.
The annulment caused a strong reaction in the Sardinero stands, where some fans showed their frustration by throwing a lighter onto the field. The controversy was added to the existing one regarding Munuera's previous decision to award a penalty to Kylian Mbappé, which has generated an intense debate between Racing fans and Real Madrid fans.
With the match over, the result remains unchanged and Racing continues to fight for its position in the table, while Real Madrid continues to consolidate itself at the top of the standings. The referee and the VAR team have reiterated the importance of following the rules of the regulation and maintaining the integrity of the game, in order to avoid similar future controversies.