Real Madrid unconvinced by replays of Bale disallowed goal
Only two replays were shown of the incident in Wednesday's 0-0 Clásico draw at the Camp Nou, and neither is deemed to be of sufficiently high quality.
Wednesday night's 0-0 Clásico draw has left Real Madrid unhappy not only with the decisions made by match referee Alejandro Hernández Hernández and video assistant Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, but also with the images that were shown of Gareth Bale's disallowed goal.
After the 72nd-minute strike was ruled out for offside against Ferland Mendy, neither of the replays provided were of high quality. The first used was blurry, while the second, sent to the match broadcasters by VAR officials, was from an angle behind the play, rather than the customary side-on position - despite the Clásico being among the fixtures with the most cameras in world football.
"The side-on image was pixelated and wasn't the best for making a decision," is the explanation that AS has been given, with the same refereeing source insisting there should be no doubts that it was the correct call to rule that Mendy, who supplied the cross for Bale, was beyond the last defender when Casemiro passed to him.
Not clear that VAR image is of moment Casemiro plays ball
Nevertheless, Madrid question why, in an offside decision that came down to a matter of centimetres, you can't see for certain whether the VAR image shown on TV is taken at the precise moment when Casemiro made contact with the ball. Los Blancos are also puzzled as to why the incident was not replayed more, while, for example, a possible handball by Dani Carvajal was repeated several times.
Madrid are also incensed that the officials did not punish either of the two apparent fouls on Raphael Varane in the penalty box, first by Clément Lenglet, then by Ivan Rakitic. However, AS' source notes that the first of Los Merengues' spot-kick claims is rendered moot by a prior handball by Karim Benzema.
As for the second appeal, AS was told that it is not an incident in which the video referee should intervene, as it is not a clear and obvious error - although our source did concede: "If Hernández Hernández sees it, he has to give it." Madrid, on the other hand, maintain that De Burgos Bengoetxea should have told the referee to take another look on the pitchside monitor.
Real Madrid ask RFEF for referee-VAR audio
As a result, La Sexta has reported, Madrid are to ask the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) for the audio of Hernández Hernández's conversations with De Burgos Bengoetxea - a request which, as of this season, the RFEF will only grant in exceptional circumstances. For example, the body did agree to release the audio from an incident in Leganés' defeat to Levante in October, but only in the wake of suggestions that the system had suffered an all-out malfunction.