Real Madrid fume as Bayern Munich defend Camavinga's red card decision

The fallout from Real Madrid’s defeat to Bayern Munich continues to revolve around a decisive refereeing call that shifted the momentum of the match.

Late in the encounter, Eduardo Camavinga was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for time-wasting, leaving Madrid with ten men at a critical stage. Bayern quickly took advantage of the situation, sealing qualification for the semi-finals soon after.

The dismissal has since triggered strong reactions, particularly from the Spanish side, who view the decision as harsh and influential on the outcome.

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The controversy largely stems from the sequence of the referee’s actions. Slavko Vincic initially issued what appeared to be a routine booking before realising that Camavinga had already been cautioned earlier in the game.

Once that was established, the referee was obliged to follow the rules, converting the second yellow into a red card.

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The situation arose after a foul was awarded to Harry Kane. In an attempt to delay the restart, Camavinga moved the ball away, preventing a quick free-kick. The action was judged as time-wasting, leading to the caution that ultimately resulted in his dismissal.

Despite the criticism from Madrid, Bayern’s hierarchy have firmly backed the decision.

Sporting director Max Eberl insisted the referee acted correctly and in accordance with the laws of the game, dismissing suggestions of unfairness.

Reflecting on the incident after the match, Eberl stated:

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“If he wasn’t aware of that [that Camavinga had already been booked], then it was a straight yellow card, because that’s what he intended to give.

“If he hadn’t given it because he thought he’d already been booked… But as it was, it was a straight yellow card.

“He’d already handled the ball twice before. Just leave it and walk away,” he explained, as per GOAL.