Real Madrid visited Real Betis this Friday, Sept. 4, on Matchday 4 of the 2026-27 La Liga season. The match was marked by refereeing controversy in the first half, not because of just one incident, but because of at least a couple that some Real Madrid fans highlighted on social media.
The first incident referenced was a foul on Jude Bellingham, who was hit from behind, but the referee did not call it and did not show a card.
The fan who shared this video pointed out that in Real Madrid’s previous match, specifically the Aug. 26 game against Real Sociedad, in the 4-1 victory for Los Merengues, Alvaro Carreras was shown a yellow card for a less significant foul than the one in the video, in which Bellingham can be seen taking a hit.
“The other day they gave a yellow card to (Alvaro) Carreras for less, but if they give a kick from behind to Bellingham or another Real Madrid player, they don’t show it so as not to load Betis and other rivals with cards,” wrote the fan.
Additionally, in the 10th minute, Real Betis player Chucho Hernández also stepped on Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde, and the 27-year-old Colombian was not booked either. The same fan account also pointed this out on the social media platform X.
“First one that Valverde takes on the instep from Cucho Hernandez at 10′. Hernandez Hernandez: ‘KEEP GOING, NOTHING HAPPENED THERE!'” the same user wrote ironically.
“The same as always, free rein. Anything goes against Real Madrid,” the fan added, responding to another account’s comment.
Real Madrid Rage at LaLiga Officials After First-Half Incidents
During the first 45 minutes, a Real Madrid player was the only one to receive a yellow card. We are talking about Turkish attacking midfielder Arda Guler. After a failed attack, Guler tracked back as Fornals took possession in the middle.
Guler read the situation so well that he put his body between the opponent and the ball and won the foul. In terms of statistics, Betis had 44% possession in the first 45 minutes, compared with Real Madrid’s 56%.
Jose Mourinho’s team had an expected goals tally of 1.99 compared with just 0.11 for the opposition. While Real Madrid took 15 shots, including five on target, Betis took only five shots, with one on target.
In the first half, the Turkish player created the most dangerous chances, accumulating seven, according to data from FotMob. For his part, Vinicius Jr. also stood out in the first 45 minutes despite missing a clear-cut chance. He had the most shots, with four, and the most touches of the ball in the opposition penalty area, with 12.
Real Madrid Fans Furious With LaLiga Refereeing in Real Betis Game