The Madrid derby is still echoing beyond the final whistle. Real Madrid’s 2-1 defeat away to Atlético may yet be remembered as much for a first-half refereeing call as for the result itself, with Kang-In Lee expected to face retrospective criticism for a challenge on Federico Valverde.
A key first-half incident
- Shortly before half-time, Kang-In Lee caught Valverde with a high, forceful stamp.
- No card was shown to the South Korean midfielder despite the severity of the contact.
- José Mourinho later criticised the decision in his post-match press conference.
- The Technical Committee of Referees has reviewed the incident and is expected to conclude that Lee should have been sent off.
The anticipated verdict would not alter the derby result, but it would underline the scale of a moment that could have changed the match before the interval. Lee has been one of Atlético’s standout performers at the beginning of the season, yet his challenge on Valverde has placed him at the centre of the post-derby debate.
Other decisions reviewed
The committee is also expected to support the red card shown to Dean Huijsen, judging that dismissal to have been correct.
There was further scrutiny of Cristian Romero’s foul on Jude Bellingham. That challenge could also have resulted in a red card, but the referee, Ortiz Arias, was considered justified in his decision because the sequence of play around the incident was deemed unclear.
Madrid’s frustration has therefore not faded with the derby lights out. The defeat left Real Madrid six points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona, while the officiating discussion continues to run long after Atlético’s 2-1 win.
