The performance of referee Juan Martínez Munuera during Saturday’s match between Barcelona and Real Madrid (1-3) continues to occupy the minds of Spain. Monday morning opens Sport the attack on the arbitrator, who would have whistled ‘terrible’ at the Camp Nou. The Catalan sports newspaper delves into Munuera’s past and concludes that he has had affection for Real Madrid all his life.

At a 1-1 score, the referee awarded a penalty to Real Madrid, when Sergio Ramos was pulled by the shirt by Clément Lenglet during a free kick. Trainer Ronald Koeman already showed that he did not agree with the decision: he stated that Ramos first committed a foul on Lenglet in the penalty area. Referee Martínez Munuera initially missed the game, but gave a penalty after viewing the images. It was eventually used by Ramos himself.

Goooooooooaaaaaaal Real Madrid ?? Ramos uses the penalty after he went to the ground himself: 1-2! But was it a penalty? ??#ZiggoSport #Clasico #BARRMA pic.twitter.com/37XEyAkKl4

– Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) October 24, 2020

Sport believes that the penalty should never have been awarded and uses el Clásico to delve further into the referee’s past. “It is nothing new that this referee is helping Real Madrid. Think of Real Madrid – Getafe, last season,” the newspaper writes, referring to the mutual league match on July 2, an important duel on the way to the national title. Real Madrid then won 1-0 by a penalty kick from Ramos. At the time, Martínez Munuera awarded a penalty kick to Real Madrid in the final phase after contact between Dani Carvajal and Mathías Olivera.

On Sunday, Martínez Munuera and his father were expected as guests at a duel between Villajoyosa CF and Crevillente Deportivo on the fourth of Spain. However, they did not show up; according to Sport Martínez Munuera chose to ‘hide’ after his controversial performance on Saturday. The newspaper spoke to an employee of the amateur club Atlético Jonense, who has known the Martínez family all his life. The family would never have hidden their love for Real Madrid.

The refereeing profession is not only practiced by Juan Martínez Munuera, but also by his father and brother. However, together they are part of a real ‘Real Madrid family’, according to the newspaper. Father Juan Ramón is one of the founders of a local Real Madrid fan club, Los Amigos de Benidorm. Martínez Munuera senior himself was refereeing third-level matches. “He is known to have refereed several matches wearing a Real Madrid shirt under his referee clothing,” he said Sport. His son Juan is said to be jokingly referred to as the ‘son of the Ultras Sur’, a fanatic Real Madrid supporters’ movement.

“Juan Ramón can be proud, because his other son Miguel was one of the assistant referees in the Clásico who won Real Madrid thanks to the actions of his sons and the VAR,” the newspaper continues full of cynicism. Chief referee Juan, who works as a police officer in daily life, has been whistling for eleven years. Barcelona knows him well, especially since he led the match last season in which Barcelona was eliminated in the Copa del Rey against Club Athletic (1-0 on February 6, ed.). He then refused to give a penalty for a foul on Frenkie. de Jong. ” De Jong was pushed by Ander Capa to a 0-0 score; in injury time Iñaki Williams made the 1-0.

“You don’t need to go back further than the 2019/20 season for the origin of the grievances. Barcelona can still remember two crucial moments,” the newspaper said. In addition to the alleged foul on De Jong, it also concerns a rejected goal in the semi-final of the Spanish Supercup against Atlético Madrid on January 9. Barcelona then appeared to take a 2-1 lead when Lionel Messi took a ball into the penalty area and rounded it off in the left corner. Martínez Munuera canceled the hit, stating that Messi played the ball with his arm.

Messi’s rejected goal against Atlético Madrid can be seen from minute 1:55.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQWglNVgol 4

“The mistakes Martínez Munuera made in Real Madrid games were mostly in favor of Real Madrid. In the game against Sevilla (2-1 on January 18), he rejected a goal from Luuk de Jong that seemed valid. game against Getafe (1-0 on July 2), moments with Olivera and Carvajal were judged differently depending on which penalty area they took place in, “the Catalan newspaper said. “Something similar happened in el Clásico. The referee from Alicante did not want to see Casemiro’s tackle against Messi again, despite it being a clear foul that could have resulted in a penalty for Barcelona, ​​but wanted to see the moment between Lenglet and Ramos again.”

Luuk de Jong’s rejected goal can be seen from minute 3:48.