Real Madrid achieved a victory at the Camp Nou, without the match becoming a spectacle of controversy. The Clásico, which was played without the VAR having to intervene, ended with the merengue team as the winner, although the scoreboard favored the visitors. The match was described as entertaining and balanced, with both teams capable of winning, but the coin fell in favor of the Barça fans.
Portuguese coach José Mourinho, after the end of the match, addressed the press and commented that the VAR “was asleep” by not signaling Cancelo's foul on Diomandé, an action that could have cost the player a red card. Mourinho did not comment on other relevant fouls, such as Camavinga's foul on Rodrigo or Tchouámeni's stomp on Xavi Espart, which caused the latter to sprain his ankle. The coach also criticized referee Martínez Munuera's decision not to call the foul on Espart, which he referred to with gestures and a brief intervention from the bench.
During the match, the atmosphere in the technical area was intense. Several people from Mourinho's coaching staff, identified by their green jackets, approached fourth referee José Palomares and touchline Diego Barbero to protest the referee's decisions. Delegate Chendo and some substitutes, such as Carreras, were also active on the bench, generating a scene of tension that, according to the author of the text, he had never seen at the Camp Nou.
As for sanctions, only two white players received yellow cards, and both were for protests during injury time. The minutes of referee Martínez Munuera indicate that the cards were issued “for ostensibly protesting a decision” by the referee. The author suggests that the players' intention was to buy time, and that the referee responded accordingly.
The match concluded with Real Madrid as the winner, but the match left a feeling that the merengue bench had become a scene of confrontations and protests. The author concludes that, despite the victory, Mourinho seems willing to use all available strategies to achieve his goals, and raises questions about the management of the League and the relevance of certain awards in modern football.