Getty Images Sport | Yosua Arya | Apr 11, 2026 13:20+06:00
'It's a penalty on the moon!' - Alvaro Arbeloa rages at officials after Real Madrid's costly draw with Girona
Real Madrid | K. Mbappe | A. Arbeloa | Real Madrid vs Girona | LaLiga
Alvaro Arbeloa launched a furious attack on the officials after Real Madrid were denied what he believed was a clear penalty in their 1-1 draw with Girona. The Madrid coach also addressed concerns over Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr as Los Blancos dropped more points in the title race.
Referee controversy sparks Madrid anger
Real Madrid were left frustrated after a controversial decision denied them a potential match-winning penalty during their 1-1 draw with Girona on Friday. A controversial moment occurred in the 88th minute when Mbappe was seemingly fouled by Vitor Reis. Replays showed Mbappe being elbowed by Reis, leaving him bleeding from the face. However, referee Javier Alberola didn't deem it a foul, and VAR wasn't used.
Getty Images Sport
Arbeloa slams VAR decision
The decision sparked immediate protests from the Real Madrid bench, as the hosts saw another chance slip away in the final minutes of the match. Madrid ultimately had to settle for a point, a result that further complicates their domestic title ambitions amid a series of inconsistent performances.
Arbeloa did not hide his frustration when addressing the incident after the final whistle, claiming the foul on Mbappe was obvious.
"It’s a penalty here and on the moon," Arbeloa said after the game. "And it’s just one more. Another one. It’s what we have, it’s what it is. Neither I nor anyone else understands it. VAR intervenes when it’s convenient, and when it’s not, it doesn’t."
"I already said it yesterday, and you know my opinion. These events confirm it. It’s a clear foul. Kylian was called for a foul in the first half that was even less. We’ve had many problems with referees. With this one, in Mallorca... It’s the same old story."
Mbappe and Vinicius under scrutiny
Despite the refereeing drama, much of the spotlight also fell on Madrid’s attacking duo after Mbappe and Vinicius Jr both failed to score against a disciplined Girona side. Arbeloa, however, insisted he remains confident in the pair’s quality and believes the issue lies more in the team’s overall attacking structure.
"I can’t worry about two players with the stats they have," he added. "They’re among the top four or five in the world. We need to improve many things collectively, because we struggle against teams that wait for us. We continue to struggle, and it has more to do with our collective performance than individual performance. Let’s hope things go better on Wednesday."
ENJOYED THIS STORY? Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting | AFP
What comes next?
This draw makes it even harder for Madrid to catch Barcelona at the top of the table. Los Blancos are second with 70 points from 31 matches, six behind the Blaugrana, who have played 30. Arbeloa's side will now turn their attention to the Champions League, where they will face Bayern Munich in the second leg of their quarter-final.
'It's a Penalty on the Moon!' - Alvaro Arbeloa Slams Officials After Real Madrid's Costly Draw with Girona
