Refereeing fury erupts as Elche accuse Vinicius Jr of ‘clear foul’ before Real Madrid equaliser

Elche coach outraged after Real Madrid equaliser amid Vinicius Jr ‘clear foul’ claims

Real Madrid’s turbulent November took another twist at the Estadio Martínez Valero, where a chaotic 2-2 draw with Elche sparked anger, controversy, and a storm of post-match recriminations. What should have been a routine league fixture for the champions turned into another frustrating chapter in a winless run that now stretches to three matches—and it was a late equaliser, born from a heavy collision involving Vinicius Junior, that ignited the most heated debate of the night.

The Spanish giants rescued a point through Jude Bellingham deep into the final stages, but the manner of the goal left Elche coach Eder Sarabia furious, accusing the referee of allowing a “clear foul” by Vinicius on goalkeeper Iñaki Peña. For a team fighting for survival, seeing points slip away under such circumstances was a bitter pill to swallow.

Real Madrid’s chaotic escape overshadowed by controversy

Elche CF v Real Madrid CF – LaLiga EA Sports

Madrid arrived in Alicante under pressure, having dropped points against Liverpool and Rayo Vallecano in back-to-back matches. Xabi Alonso needed a performance that steadied the ship. Instead, he got ninety minutes of mixed play, frustration, and defensive fragility—ingredients that Elche, sharp on the counter and aggressive in transition, exploited far better than expected.

Madrid dominated possession, of course. They pushed Elche deep and controlled the rhythm for long stretches, but their play lacked incision. Too many sequences were predictable, too many passes safe. Elche, on the other hand, had clarity: survive Madrid’s sterile dominance, then strike decisively when the spaces appeared.

They executed that game plan perfectly. Aleix Febas punished poor marking early in the second half, drilling Elche ahead. When Dean Huijsen scrambled in an equaliser from a set piece, Madrid expected momentum to shift, but Elche hit straight back through Álvaro Rodríguez, whose clinical finish once again exposed the cracks in Madrid’s defensive structure.

That backdrop of chaos set the stage for the moment that would define the night. Deep into the final minutes, Madrid launched wave after wave of pressure. The equaliser, when it finally came, unfolded in a frantic blur: a loose ball, bodies flying into the six-yard box, Vinicius challenging aggressively, Peña collapsing to the ground, and Bellingham firing in the rebound.

Peña lay dazed, clutching his face. Elche players surrounded the referee instantly. But the officials allowed play to run, VAR confirmed no foul, and Madrid escaped with a point.

Elche coach Eder Sarabia blasts refereeing: “I was gutted”

Sarabia did not mince his words afterward. The Elche head coach, usually measured in front of cameras, was visibly upset as he detailed what he believed were decisive errors.

“No, I’m not happy—far from it,” he said. “I told the players I was gutted, but after seeing those decisive calls, I’m even more so. The foul before the second goal wasn’t a foul at all; it could have been a counter for 3-1. Then Vinicius goes for the ball, but he doesn’t touch it—it hits Peña in the face. Peña didn’t even see the play. Vinicius hits him in the face, and that’s why his face is like that. It’s a clear foul.”

His anger wasn’t only about the single incident—it was about the broader feeling that his side had done everything required against a giant like Real Madrid, only to see the outcome shaped by decisions beyond their control.

“When you play against Real Madrid, you have to do many things right. We take the lead twice, we run, we fight, and then you feel factors influenced the final result. It makes you angry.”

For a club operating with a fraction of Madrid’s resources, moments like these sting even more.

Madrid stay top, but Alonso faces growing questions

The result sees Madrid cling to the top of La Liga on 32 points, one ahead of Barcelona. But anyone watching their recent performances will see a pattern that should concern Alonso.

Three games without a win. Repeated defensive lapses. Predictable attacking sequences. Possession without penetration. Transitions that crumble under pressure.

At Anfield, Liverpool’s intensity tore holes in Madrid’s structure. Against Rayo, Madrid moved the ball endlessly but rarely threatened. At Elche, the defensive line froze too often, midfield runners weren’t tracked, and the front three of Mbappé, Vinicius, and Bellingham carried an unsustainable burden.

Alonso acknowledged the issues but insisted the team isn’t in crisis. Still, he knows there is work to be done—especially in key areas:

• rest-defence discipline, to prevent counters

• build-up structure, to avoid being pressed into mistakes

• better spacing in the final third, to unlock compact blocks

• aerial focus, given recent goals conceded from high balls

• goal contributions from midfield, beyond the usual stars

The head coach has been calm publicly, but the pressure is mounting. Around the club, this is viewed as a wobble rather than a collapse. But wobbles, if not addressed, can become spirals.

Olympiacos and Girona tests could define Madrid’s next step

Rayo Vallecano de Madrid v Real Madrid CF – LaLiga EA Sports

There is little time to breathe. Olympiacos in Europe is next—always a difficult away trip—followed by Girona on November 30, a side with a history of upsetting Madrid. Lose momentum across those fixtures, and the title race could reshape dramatically.

Madrid’s lead is slim: Barça one point behind, Villarreal three, Atlético four. A poor week could turn a stumble into a slide.

For now, the focus shifts to regrouping—and doing it quickly. The equaliser at Elche saved a point but created new debates. Vinicius Jr again finds himself at the centre of controversy, Sarabia leaves fuming, and Alonso returns to the drawing board.

La Liga isn’t won in November, but it can certainly be complicated—and Madrid are finding that out the hard way.