Madrid slam Mbappé penalty denial in costly draw

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MADRID — Álvaro Arbeloa said Real Madrid should have been awarded what might have been a decisive penalty in their 1-1 draw with Girona — a result which saw the team whistled by fans at the Bernabéu and was another blow in the team’s hopes of challenging for the LaLiga title.

Midfielder Federico Valverde put Madrid ahead from distance in the 51st minute before Thomas Lemar responded with a stunning strike for Girona 11 minutes later.

However the biggest postmatch talking point came in the 87th minute, when Kylian Mbappé appeared to be caught in the face by defender Vitor Reis inside the box, in a challenge which referee Javier Alberola did not deem to be a foul, and the VAR did not intervene.

Madrid are now six points behind leaders Barcelona at the top, with Barça having played a game fewer, ahead of Barcelona’s derby with Espanyol on Saturday.

“For me it’s a penalty from here to the moon,” Arbeloa said in his postmatch news conference. “I don’t understand it, and I don’t think anybody does … You know my opinion [about referees], and the facts maintain it.

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“It’s an action which is very clear for me. There’ve been a lot of these for us, with referees like this one, and also last week in Mallorca. It’s the same as always.”

Madrid have now gone three games without a win this month, after they lost 2-1 to Mallorca on April 4, and were then beaten 2-1 by Bayern Munich in their Champions League quarterfinal first leg on Tuesday.

“To win we have to give 200%. We can’t win at 90%, or at least not always,” Arbeloa said. “If you want to have more security against teams you’re superior to, you have to give 200%, otherwise accidents like this can happen.

“Until [the title] is lost, we’ll keep fighting.”

Arbeloa denied he was concerned about the goalscoring form of Mbappé or Vinícius Júnior, and praised Jude Bellingham, who made his first start against Girona since recovering from injury.

“I can’t worry about players with the figures [Mbappé and Vini] have,” Arbeloa said. “They’re two of the four or five best players in the world. … We have to improve a lot of things collectively, especially with teams that sit back.

“Bellingham looked good, agile and confident. It’s normal that he’s tired after so long out. It’s the first game he’s started. But it’s been good for him to find his rhythm.”

Madrid travel to Munich next week to play Bayern in the quarterfinal second leg Wednesday.

This post was originally published at ESPN