On Sunday night, the RFEF released the audio recordings between Ortiz Arias and the VAR reviewing the incident between ‘Cuti’ Romero and Bellingham, as well as Dean Huijsen’s play in the derby between Atletico and Real Madrid.
In keeping with customary protocol, the RFEF has made public the audio recordings from the VAR room covering the weekend’s most contentious incidents. The Madrid derby naturally took centre stage on Sunday following Mourinho’s fierce post-match complaints over two potential red cards spared for Atletico de Madrid. Among the clips released by the committee was the flashpoint involving ‘Cuti’ Romero.
In the footage disclosed by the technical committee, VAR Daniel Jesus Trujillo Suarez calls Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias over to the pitchside monitor immediately after the on-field official had booked Jude Bellingham. Replays quickly established that it was, in fact, the England midfielder who had caught Romero’s studs to the knee. The intervention and subsequent on-field review were prompted strictly by a case of mistaken identity, a protocol established on the global stage.
“Miguel, I recommend a review so you can assess a possible mistaken identity error,” the video assistant referee advised. “I see that the Atletico player is the one who stamps on the Madrid player, and the Madrid player is the one who touches the ball,” he explained. Ortiz Arias required little persuasion upon viewing the monitor: “OK, I am going to cancel the yellow for the Real Madrid player and give it to the Atletico player.” Crucially, the check was limited purely to swapping the recipient of the card, without assessing whether the challenge warranted a straight red.
The RFEF also published the audio surrounding the incident with Huijsen, which resulted in a penalty and a sending-off. “I had interpreted that the goalkeeper could reach it. He controls it; the goalkeeper is not within reaching distance and there is no challenge for the ball. I switch the yellow to red and maintain the penalty,” the referee conceded at the screen. The CTA views having to overturn two pivotal on-pitch calls as an error, further intensifying scrutiny on Ortiz Arias, who also failed to punish a potential red card for Kang-in Lee following a reckless challenge on Valverde.
