Real Madrid’s win over Real Sociedad was overshadowed by controversy as Dean Huijsen saw a straight red card in questionable fashion. Furious with Spanish refereeing, Los Blancos are now preparing a dossier of officiating errors from this season and last to submit directly to FIFA.
Real Madrid may have extended their perfect start to the La Liga season with a 2-1 victory at Real Sociedad, but the post-match headlines have been dominated by yet another refereeing storm.
Dean Huijsen’s controversial red card in the 32nd minute — after minimal contact with Mikel Oyarzabal — left Madrid playing with ten men for nearly an hour at the Anoeta. Referee Jesús Gil Manzano judged the defender’s action to be a denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity, despite Eder Militao being close to the play and the ball not fully under Oyarzabal’s control.
Xabi Alonso voices frustration
New Madrid coach Xabi Alonso, who returned to his home region for the clash, was furious with the decision. He confronted Manzano during the game and was shown a yellow card himself. After the final whistle, Alonso made his stance clear:
“For me, it was a yellow card. Militao was close, the ball wasn’t under control, and there were still 40 meters left,” Alonso explained. “VAR should have had another interpretation. I’ve seen the replay and I haven’t changed my mind.”
Madrid escalate complaint to FIFA
Real Madrid’s frustration did not stop at the press room. Shortly after the game, Real Madrid TV announced that the club would compile a full report of refereeing errors from the current and previous La Liga seasons to be submitted to FIFA.
“Real Madrid is preparing a report with everything that has happened in these first four rounds of La Liga and what happened last season,” the club’s channel stated. “A dossier which is going to be submitted to FIFA so they take good note of what is happening in Spanish football with regard to refereeing.”
This escalation highlights Madrid’s ongoing feud with La Liga officials, a saga that carried over from Carlo Ancelotti’s reign and now continues under Alonso.
Defensive crisis deepens
While Los Blancos left San Sebastián with all three points thanks to goals from Kylian Mbappé and Serge Gnabry, the controversy further clouds their preparations ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League opener against Marseille. With Antonio Rüdiger sidelined until December with a thigh injury, Alonso faces a defensive headache. Huijsen’s suspension applies only to domestic competition, but squad depth remains a major concern heading into a demanding schedule.
Madrid may be perfect in La Liga with four wins out of four, but off the pitch their war with Spanish refereeing authorities is only intensifying — and now FIFA is set to be dragged into the battle.
