On Saturday against Leganés, Andriy Lunin had a bitter evening, conceding two goals. At the end of the match, the Ukrainian goalkeeper made a statement about the officiating… A comment that fuels the controversy over refereeing shortcomings during this encounter.
Back from the FIFA international break, Real Madrid fought hard to overcome Leganés (3-2). With a rotated squad featuring Arda Güler and Brahim Díaz alongside Kylian Mbappé in attack for this fixture, the Madrid side started the game well. In the 30th minute, the young Turkish player, whom Carlo Ancelotti praised after the match, won a rather soft penalty. Shortly after, Leganés players found gaps twice in Madrid’s defence, scoring two goals against Andriy Lunin before half-time.
The controversy and Leganés’ frustration
Jude Bellingham equalised early in the second half, but he later found himself at the centre of a controversial moment for Leganés. During a counterattack, the English midfielder, who was once again everywhere on the pitch, pushed a Leganés player inside the penalty box. While the referee deemed the incident insufficient to award a penalty, in Spain, this decision is seen as incomprehensible. At the final whistle, the coach of the relegation-threatened side expressed his frustration with referee Pablo González Fuertes.
“Officiating? I’m not going to go over it again today. I said it on Friday, and I always say it. Those at the top have no reason to complain. I trust the referees, but once again, we had no luck. I hope the club will speak out against these mistakes,” Borja Jiménez stated before commenting on his players’ mood.
“They are very angry. We had the chance to review the incidents on television, and they were outraged. I tried to help them understand what happened here. We could have even won 2-3. It’s true that Real Madrid dominated us, but we knew this could happen. We are very upset about the circumstances,” the Leganés coach admitted.
When asked about the officiating, Carlo Ancelotti dismissed the question, stating that Real Madrid also had reasons to complain about controversial decisions, particularly regarding the opponent’s second goal.
Did Lunin suggest Real Madrid were helped?
Much less cautious in his words, Andriy Lunin also mentioned the term “help” during his post-match interview. When questioned about the result and criticism of the referee’s performance, the Ukrainian goalkeeper made comments suggesting that Real Madrid benefited from the referees’ decisions to secure the three points.
“I don’t want to talk about the referees’ decisions. We need to win these matches without help. What I mean is that we must resolve these games by playing well, staying organised, and trying not to concede goals—simple things. We must win this way to avoid being drawn into refereeing debates,” the 26-year-old goalkeeper bluntly stated, calling for greater defensive vigilance. “We need to be more focused and disciplined in defence. In attack, we always find what we need.”
In Madrid, Lunin’s words have sparked outrage. Many believe the Ukrainian goalkeeper should not have made such statements to the press, especially given that Real Madrid have been penalised by refereeing decisions multiple times this season. In any case, critics are seizing the opportunity provided by Thibaut Courtois’ backup to stir controversy.
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