Real Madrid fans jeer VAR announcements in response to ruled out Clásico penalties
Before the game against Athletic, Real Madrid fans expressed their frustrations with the VAR system in response to two controversical decisions in the Clásico.
Moments before the start of the game against Athletic Bilbao (0-0), the VAR explanatory message came through the Bernabéu’s PA system and, as has become customary, was greeted by whistling from Real Madrid fans.
Since last season a section of the home crowd has booed and whistled the pre-match announcement message, which is played to explain to the crowd how the VAR system operates.
But before the game against Athletic those jeers were louder than ever as the home crowd clearly expressed their frustrations regarding two incidents in the Clásico against Barcelona at Camp Nou on Wednesday, in which two penalties were ruled out for Los Blancos.
Madrid fans angry after two "very clear" penalties
In the space of two minutes at Camp Nou on Wednesday, French defender Raphael Varane had two viable penalty claims – firstly after he was the victim of a studs-up challenge by his compatriot Clement Lenglet; and secondly when Ivan Rakitic clearly tugged his shirt as the ball came in to the Barcelona box from a corner.However both challenges went unpunished by both the referee Alejandro Hernández and the VAR official Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea.
According to Real Madrid’s director of institutional relations Emilio Butragueño, who spoke after Wednesday’s game, they were two “very clear” penalties and it seems Blancos fans agree as anger over VAR controversies continues to build among the Bernabéu fateful.