Málaga CF were denied a clear penalty in their 1-1 draw with Deportivo at La Rosaleda. Referee Javier Alberola Rojas and VAR official Daniel Trujillo overlooked a push on Joaquín Muñoz inside the box in the 65th minute, according to a report by Sport.es this Wednesday.
What happened in the controversial incident?
During the second half, Joaquín Muñoz received the ball and drove into Deportivo's penalty area. Defender Ximo Navarro pushed him with both arms, destabilising the Málaga CF player and causing him to fall. From his on-field position, Alberola Rojas did not award a foul. The VAR, operated by Daniel Trujillo, did not deem it necessary to alert the referee for a monitor review, and the official match statistics recorded no VAR intervention. This judgement contrasts with the published criteria of the Technical Committee of Referees, which considers pushing an attacker inside the area a punishable offence warranting a penalty.
Was there a recent similar precedent?
The controversy intensifies when compared to an identical incident from the previous weekend in LaLiga. In the match between Atlético Madrid and Villarreal, defender Robin Le Normand pushed Georges Mikautadze inside the box. Initially, referee Hernández Hernández did not call the foul, but the VAR did alert him. After reviewing the play at the monitor, the referee changed his decision, awarded a penalty, and sent off Le Normand. The difference in criteria applied in the Málaga CF match is therefore notable and has sparked debate.
How did the rest of the match unfold?
The game had already seen a penalty incident in the first half, this time in Málaga CF's favour. In the 34th minute, Deportivo player Noubi fouled Rafita inside the area. On this occasion, Alberola Rojas did not hesitate to point to the spot. Striker Chupe successfully converted the penalty, making it 1-0. Deportivo managed to equalise later, leaving the final score at 1-1. This point keeps Málaga CF in the fight for promotion places, which you can follow on our standings page.
What did the manager say after the match?
In the post-match press conference, Málaga CF manager Juanfran Funes was asked about the Joaquín incident. He chose not to fuel the controversy directly but made a revealing comparison. Juanfran Funes said: "No es penalti porque no se ha pitado, pero a Le Normand le hubiese gustado que le hubiese pitado este árbitro." This phrase encapsulates the sense of injustice when contrasting the two refereeing decisions in practically identical situations.
What does this mean for Málaga CF?
The failure to award this penalty may have cost Málaga CF two vital points in their quest for promotion to the top flight. Every point is decisive in the tight Segunda División, and these officiating errors can have a major impact at the end of the season. The team must now focus on upcoming fixtures, which include key matches against direct rivals. The squad, which you can view on our squad page, needs to quickly forget this controversy and maintain focus on their on-field performance to secure the necessary results.
