A few hours after Real Madrid’s crucial victory over Leganés, Matija Nastasic, defender of the relegation-threatened team, has been seriously accused of facilitating the Madrid side’s win. With a compilation of the last two goals scored by Carlo Ancelotti’s team, several Catalans, in particular, are calling the Serbian player’s performance suspicious.
Battling for the Spanish league title this season, Real Madrid secured a valuable win against Leganés on matchday 29 of La Liga. In a game marked by a brace from Kylian Mbappé, several key incidents stood out. Most notably, following this 3-2 victory, social media ignited over controversial decisions made by referees González Fuertes and Melero López. Just as discussions about refereeing controversies began to fade, a new debate erupted regarding Leganés defender Matija Nastasic.
The two goals sparking outrage among Real Madrid’s rivals
Chosen by Borja Jiménez to strengthen the defence and contain Carlo Ancelotti’s men, the number 22 did not perform poorly. However, his efforts were overshadowed by the outstanding display of his teammate and captain, Sergio González, who made crucial interventions to deny multiple scoring opportunities.
Attention has focused on two key second-half moments involving Nastasic. As Real Madrid mounted a comeback following an aggressive start from Leganés, Jude Bellingham netted the equaliser from a rebound off the crossbar. In this decisive moment, Nastasic appeared hesitant, failing to react in time to intercept the Madrid number 5. This situation has sparked heated online debates, with accusations of passivity aimed at the Serbian defender.
The controversy reached new heights when Kylian Mbappé, executing a well-planned free-kick combination with Fran García, sealed the 3-2 victory for Los Blancos. Not particularly clinical with free kicks—an aspect where he has historically struggled in his professional career—the French forward found the back of the net with a strike that passed through Leganés’ defensive wall. Once again, it was Nastasic who left the gap in the wall. This second goal provoked a wave of criticism on social media, with some claiming the defender had deliberately aided Real Madrid’s attacks.
“What do you think of these two clips of Leganés player Matija Nastasic? Suspicious, isn’t it? I at least hope this will be investigated. These are two actions where he deliberately harms his team. In a defensive situation, he allows them to score,” commented a Catalan user on X (Twitter).
A baseless controversy unlikely to escalate
It must be said that the match between Real Madrid and Leganés was fiercely contested. But, as in every football match, the winning team capitalises on the opponent’s mistakes. This season, Real Madrid have suffered crucial defeats, notably against FC Barcelona, but no player has been accused of deliberately aiding the Catalan attackers. While it is entirely fair to criticise a player for a poor performance, fabricating match-fixing or corruption controversies is unhealthy.
At Real Madrid, Lucas Vázquez has, as often this season, been criticised once again for his struggles against Leganés. However, beyond analysis, no one in Madrid is claiming that he intentionally plays against his own team. In any case, among the many critics of the Serbian defender, several Catalans are seizing the opportunity to stir up scandal. The season’s final stretch promises to be even more intense, with ten matches remaining in the league.
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