🚨📲 NEW: The Algerian defender, Assa Mandi, has taken to Instagram to complain about the refs' decision in the match against Argentina.
"If I’d fractured my ankle last night, the guy who did it would’ve walked away with no card. Refs need to do better. The whole world is watching."
🚨Riyad Mahrez on the controversial Lionel Messi challenge against Aïssa Mandi during Argentina vs Algeria at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Algeria’s shameful performance:
🗣️ “I know this won’t be a popular opinion, but for me, if that challenge is made by almost any other player in this tournament, we’re having a completely different conversation.
If that is a defender wearing a different shirt, a midfielder from a smaller nation, or simply a player without Lionel Messi’s name on the back, I believe there is a serious chance a red card is shown.
That is my honest view.
The contact was significant.
When you see a boot come up and catch an opponent like that, players have been sent off for similar incidents before.
That is why so many people are debating it.
What frustrates players is consistency.
We are always told the rules are the same for everyone.
But moments like this make people question whether that is really the case.
Messi is one of the greatest players in football history.
Nobody can deny that.
He does not need special treatment.
His football speaks for itself.
That is why controversies like this become so big.
Because people look at the incident and wonder if the decision would have been the same if another player had made the challenge.
Of course, the referee and VAR saw it differently.
They reviewed it and decided there was no red card.
That decision is final.
But do not be surprised that players, fans and pundits continue to argue about it.
Because if football wants credibility, then consistency must be the same whether your name is Lionel Messi or anybody else.
That is the debate people are having tonight.”
{@beINSPORTS }
🚨OFFICIAL REAL MADRID STATEMENT:
Real Madrid C. F. announces that, in relation to the so-called 'Negreira Case,' it has submitted a formal document to UEFA addressed to its disciplinary bodies.
In this document, the club has informed UEFA of the existence of relevant evidence that conclusively reinforces the indications already known from the outset regarding the existence of long-term, opaque payments lacking any verifiable justification, made by FC Barcelona to the former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, José María Enríquez Negreira, through various corporate structures.
Real Madrid emphasizes that these facts constitute, from the perspective of sports disciplinary law, a systemic risk of the utmost seriousness to the integrity of competitions, as they demonstrate the existence of a structure of improper influence over the refereeing body, incompatible with the essential principles of competitive equality, neutrality, impartiality, and the unpredictability of sporting results.
In this context, Real Madrid has called for the immediate resumption of the disciplinary proceedings previously opened by UEFA, considering it unacceptable that this situation has been allowed to continue over time, as its persistence seriously undermines the credibility of football, its institutions, and its leaders. The club therefore demands a firm, exemplary, and immediate response within the sporting sphere, independent of the outcome of the ongoing judicial proceedings.
Accordingly, our club requests that UEFA, exercising its own, autonomous, and independent authority, adopt the disciplinary and restorative measures it deems appropriate in order to guarantee the integrity, transparency, and proper functioning of competitions, without in any way replacing the role of the State's judicial bodies or prejudging any criminal classification of the facts. In this regard, Real Madrid, appearing in the ongoing criminal proceedings as a private prosecutor, will continue, as it has done from the beginning, to take the actions appropriate at each stage of the process.
Real Madrid reaffirms its commitment to defending the fundamental values of sport and will continue to promote all actions necessary to ensure that acts of this nature do not go unpunished.
🚨 OFFICIAL: Real Madrid statement on Negreira case.
Real Madrid C. F. communicates that, in relation to the so-called 'Negreira Case', he has presented to UEFA a letter addressed to its disciplinary bodies.
In this letter, the club has informed UEFA of the existence of relevant evidence that conclusively reinforces the indications already known from the beginning about the existence of long-term payments, opaque and lacking any verifiable justification, made by the F. C Barcelona to the one who was vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, José María Enríquez Negreira, through different corporate structures.
Real Madrid emphasizes that these facts constitute, from the perspective of sports disciplinary law, a systemic risk of maximum gravity for the integrity of competitions, by evidencing the existence of a structure of undue influence on the arbitration system, incompatible with the essential principles of competitive equality, neutrality, impartiality and unpredictability of the sports result.
In this context, Real Madrid has urged the immediate resumption of the disciplinary file initiated at the time by UEFA, considering it unacceptable that this situation has been prolonged over time, since its persistence seriously compromises the credibility of football, its institutions and its leaders, so it demands a firm, exemplary and immediate response in the sports field, independent of the future of the ongoing judicial proceedings.
Therefore, our club asks UEFA, in the exercise of its own, autonomous and independent competence, to adopt the disciplinary and restorative measures that are appropriate in order to guarantee the integrity, transparency and proper functioning of the competitions, without this implying, in any case, replacing the function of the jurisdictional bodies of the State or anticipating a criminal qualification of the facts.
In this sense, Real Madrid, in person in the ongoing criminal proceedings as a private accusation, will exercise, as it has been doing since its inception, the actions that correspond at each procedural moment.
Real Madrid reaffirms its commitment to the defense of the essential values of sport and will continue to promote as many actions as necessary to ensure that events of this nature do not go unpunished.