Real Madrid's history of not overcoming the referee

With all its pride, self-respect, and history, Real Madrid scored three goals at the Allianz Arena but still lost to Bayern Munich. The difference was the referee.

In Munich, referee Slavko Vincic, once praised by Jose Mourinho, controversially sent off Camavinga. From that point, Bayern completed a comeback to win 4-3 in the second leg (aggregate 6-4).

The disastrous red card

"I will accept the consequences of a defeat like this," Alvaro Arbeloa said with a heavy expression inside the Allianz Arena. Being eliminated in the Champions League quarter-finals and the near-certain prospect of ending the season empty-handed opened a horizon full of doubts for Real Madrid, but he did not want to delve into that. "I am a club man and will understand all decisions of the team. My future is not what I care about, since taking this seat," he added.

The only thing he complained about in the Munich night was the referee's decision to issue the second yellow card to Camavinga. "No one can understand why a player is sent off in a match like this for that reason. It is inexplicable and unfair. We lost everything due to a decision you cannot control. I wish Bayern had beaten us in a different way," Arbeloa lamented.

According to Arbeloa, as well as the entire Real Madrid dressing room, the referee even failed to realize he had just warned the French player eight minutes earlier, when issuing the second yellow for holding the ball. Bild and live commentary programs in Germany also saw it that way. "The referee didn't even remember he had just given a yellow card," Bild commented. "Even worse, it was a double mistake," Arbeloa bitterly criticized the incident that initiated Real Madrid's collapse. "I am deeply hurt by how we lost the match," he emphasized, after a night when the team had come very close to an seemingly impossible comeback.

UEFA has always opposed dismissals like Camavinga's, especially in a major match like this – the 21 Champions League titles the two clubs possess. Arbeloa assessed: "I am very proud of the players. In the second half, we had to endure and it's regrettable we didn't capitalize on opportunities." Initially, he did not use Camavinga to replace suspended Tchouameni. Instead, Fede Valverde and Jude Bellingham played centrally, while young talent Thiago Pitarch was on the bench. Above them was Arda Guler, who often drifted left and had a night that accurately reflected Real Madrid's journey: from touching glory to ending with a red card and uncontrollable disappointment.

Guler reflects Real Madrid

The Sudkurve stand of the Allianz Arena shook like a tectonic plate from the start of the match. The stadium erupted with fierce sounds as Real Madrid once again received a "gift" from a goalkeeper, this time Neuer. Once again, a keeper made an error against the white-shirted team, similar to Karius (Liverpool) in the 2018 Champions League final, Ulreich (Bayern) in the semifinals that same year, Donnarumma (PSG) in 2022, or Edouard Mendy (Chelsea) just weeks later…

The number of goalkeepers "losing control" against Real Madrid always astonishes. This time, Neuer – the best player in the first leg at the Bernabeu – made a mistake, passing the ball like a youth player to Guler, who easily scored into the empty net. The goal came after just 34 seconds, the fastest conceded goal by Bayern Munich in Champions League history, igniting the Turkish player's excitement. For Real Madrid, this was the second fastest goal in Champions League history, the fastest since 1957.

Guler's starting role was initially unclear in the restructured midfield without Tchouameni, but Arbeloa understood that if playing counter-attack – almost the only option given the team's characteristics despite needing a comeback – he needed someone capable of delivering passes to Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe. After months of play, Guler still left doubts about his ability to orchestrate the game in midfield. However, what he always displayed was that rare left foot in the squad to create opportunities for the forwards.

The next time he made the Allianz Arena pay attention was a beautiful free kick, sending the ball over the wall and into the far corner. The young player celebrated with a hug with coach Arbeloa. His two goals lifted Real Madrid high. Despite the outcome, those moments were also a major boost for his own career at the Bernabeu.

The goal making it 1-2 stunned Bayern. Although Harry Kane equalized 2-2, with Mbappe's third goal, Real Madrid became the only team to score three goals against Bayern in just one half, across two different Champions League matches (the previous being the 4-0 win in the 2014 semifinals). However, everything vanished into thin air in just two moments: Camavinga's red card and Luis Diaz's equalizing 3-3 goal right in front of Guler.

That goal plunged Guler into extreme disappointment. When the referee blew the final whistle, he rushed to protest Camavinga's second yellow card and received a red card just before entering the tunnel.

Guler was very, very close to glory, but ultimately very far away. Just like Real Madrid, the club now begins its summer already in April, forced to sit back and reflect.