Former Barcelona Midfielder Accuses Real Madrid of Favorable Refereeing

Arturo Vidal Claims Referee Bias in Matches Against Real Madrid

Real Madrid, like many other top European clubs, is no stranger to controversies and allegations of receiving favorable treatment from referees, whether in domestic leagues or European competitions. The most recent claims of bias toward Real Madrid come from none other than former Barcelona player, Arturo Vidal.

During his illustrious career in European football, Vidal represented clubs such as Barcelona, Juventus, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, and Bayer Leverkusen. Currently playing for Athletico Paranaense in Brazil, Vidal made headlines with his recent comments about Real Madrid during an interview on his Twitch channel.

As reported by SPORT, Vidal expressed his sentiments on his Twitch channel, stating, “Sometimes I am not sure in which match a specific controversy occurred against Real Madrid… Against Real Madrid, I experienced so many robberies in my career that sometimes I forget details.”

Vidal’s perception appears to be rooted in a series of contentious encounters against Real Madrid while wearing the jerseys of Juventus, Bayern Munich, and FC Barcelona. One of the most controversial matches was the second leg of the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, in which Vidal’s Bayern Munich suffered a 4-2 defeat under heavily debated circumstances.

While Vidal’s comments reflect his personal experiences, it is important to acknowledge that refereeing decisions and controversies are part and parcel of football. Real Madrid has also faced instances when decisions did not go in their favor over the years. With the implementation of VAR, there has been a noticeable reduction in refereeing errors, contributing to a fairer and more transparent adjudication process.