In a heated controversy, Arda Güler avoided a red card for an elbow and then ignited Real Madrid’s attack, opening the scoring against Sevilla on Sunday.
The Turkish international barely escaped dismissal. In the 22nd minute, he elbowed Sevilla defender Peque during a duel. The defender hit the ground, was hauled up by Dean Huijsen, and a brief scuffle erupted. Calm returned and the referee handed Güler a yellow, despite a VAR review.
As referee analyst Iturralde Gonzalez told As, “There appears to be contact, but the replay isn’t clear. I see the arm rise, yet the facial impact is fuzzy.” He lamented the “poor‑quality slow‑motion footage,” calling it unacceptable for a league of this stature.
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Scorer eight minutes later. Will Real keep the momentum?
The Catalan press erupted, reveling in the timing a week before the Clasico. In my view, the referee’s leniency will only deepen the fury in Andalusia, where fans see the decision as a decisive factor in Real’s early goal, as noted by Mundo Deportivo.
Having dodged expulsion, Güler rattled Vlachodimos’ net. A Yan Diomandé pass inside the box set him up for a fierce left‑foot strike that flew low under the bar, giving Madrid the lead before Kylian Mbappé sealed the win.