The Spanish Football Federation’s Competition Committee has rejected Osasuna’s appeal against the direct red card shown to defender Abel Bretonis late in their opening La Liga match against Real Madrid, which ended in a 1-0 win for the Merengues following a controversial penalty awarded to Kylian Mbappé.
Bretonis received a two-match suspension for a strong challenge on Real Madrid’s Gonzalo García. The committee stated that the evidence presented by Osasuna was insufficient to prove a clear error in referee Adrián Cordero Vega’s report, which cited the use of “excessive force” during the confrontation.
The committee added: “Proving a clear mistake in a referee’s report requires indisputable evidence beyond any reasonable doubt. The images submitted by Osasuna are consistent with the referee’s account of events.”
Osasuna acknowledged the player’s foul but argued that the referee had overreacted in his assessment. The committee, however, dismissed this argument, confirming the red card and the suspension.
Refereeing Controversy Recalls Lamine Jamal Goal Incident
The case also highlights ongoing debates over video technology in La Liga, as the Santiago Bernabéu cameras did not clearly capture the incident, despite extensive coverage. This recalls the controversial disallowed goal by Lamine Jamal during the 2023-2024 El Clásico, where the camera opposite goalkeeper Andriy Lunin was inactive, leaving the legitimacy of the goal unresolved.
According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, the El Clásico was filmed with 36 cameras, but the missing angle prevented a definitive ruling. Video assistant referee José María Sánchez Martínez informed on-field referee Soto Grado that there was insufficient evidence to award the goal to Barcelona.
Real Madrid went on to win the match 3-2, significantly moving closer to securing the La Liga title that season, extending their lead over Barcelona to 11 points.
