Sofia Quijada
Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen should not have been sent off in Saturday’s 2-1 LaLiga win over Real Sociedad, Spain’s refereeing committee (CTA) has admitted. The 19-year-old saw red in the 32nd minute for a challenge on Mikel Oyarzabal, with referee Jesús Gil ruling he had denied a clear goalscoring opportunity (DOGSO).
Referee’s Explanation ‘Not Convincing’
Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said he was left unconvinced by the post-match reasoning. The club have since announced that they are compiling a dossier of refereeing errors from the past year, which they intend to send to FIFA. Madrid TV was quick to highlight the incident as another in a series of questionable calls.
CTA Clarifies the Decision
In their weekly video analysis, CTA spokesperson Marta Frías explained that the referee’s decision hinged on whether a second defender was close enough to challenge Oyarzabal. If another Madrid player could realistically intervene, the challenge should have been punished with only a yellow card. CTA concluded that the red card did not meet the criteria for DOGSO and that Huijsen should have stayed on the pitch.
VAR Debate: Why No Intervention?
Despite acknowledging the mistake, the committee defended VAR’s stance. “This falls within the grey areas open to interpretation,” the CTA said.
“VAR must only intervene in clear and obvious errors. The referee’s on-field decision stood, and VAR acted correctly by not overturning it.”
Madrid’s Defensive Crisis Deepens
The red card adds to Madrid’s defensive worries. Antonio Rüdiger is sidelined for 10–12 weeks with a muscular injury, leaving Eder Militão and David Alaba as the only experienced centre-backs. Madrid are expected to appeal Huijsen’s suspension, which currently stands at one match.
For Madrid, the controversy extends beyond one wrong decision — it highlights growing frustration with officiating, just as their defensive depth is being tested to the limit.