The VAR audio from Real Madrid’s tense 3-2 victory over Almeria in LaLiga on Sunday has been released.
Real secured a dramatic comeback against the Spanish top flight’s bottom side – who are yet to win a game this season – after going 2-0 down at the Bernabeu.
Second half goals from Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr and a 99th minute winner from Dani Carvajal helped to ensure Carlo Ancelotti’s side kept pace with Girona in the title race.
However, Madrid’s goals created controversy. Bellingham’s penalty came after a debatable handball penalty call given by VAR, with Antonio Rudiger deemed not to have committed a foul in the build-up.
Almeria then had a goal ruled out by VAR, before Vinicius Jr saw a decision to disallow his equaliser for handball overturned when referee Jose Hernandez Maeso consulted the pitchside monitor, concluding that it had instead gone in off the Brazilian’s shoulder.
The VAR audio from Real Madrid’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Almeria has been released
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/22/09/80300545-12991103-image-a-11_1705916801752.jpg)
Real fought back from 2-0 down after three controversial VAR decisions went against Almeria
![Joselu headed the ball onto Kaiky Fernandes' arm and Jude Bellingham scored the penalty to pull one goal back, with Antonio Rudiger deemed not to have committed a foul](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/22/09/80284103-12991103-Joselu_headed_the_ball_onto_Kaiky_Fernandes_arm_and_Jude_Belling-a-3_1705916521431.jpg)
Joselu headed the ball onto Kaiky Fernandes’ arm and Jude Bellingham scored the penalty to pull one goal back, with Antonio Rudiger deemed not to have committed a foul
![Almeria were also aggrieved when Vinicius Jr's goal to equalise was given after initially being ruled out for handball, with referee Jose Hernandez Maeso judging it to have hit his shoulder](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/22/09/80284105-12991103-Almeria_were_aggrieved_when_Vinicius_Jr_s_goal_to_equalise_was_g-a-4_1705916577377.jpg)
Almeria were also aggrieved when Vinicius Jr’s goal to equalise was given after initially being ruled out for handball, with referee Jose Hernandez Maeso judging it to have hit his shoulder
And, following the officiating drama, the official VAR audio has since been released. For the controversial penalty, VAR official Hernandez Hernandez said: ‘I recommend you an on-field review so that you can assess a possible penalty due to a handball by the Almería defender.’
Referee Maeso responded: ‘Okay, I’m going to see it. (…) perfect. The Madrid player tries to score and the ball hits the arm, with the Almeria defender occupying space. I’m going to call a penalty without a card.’
For Vinicius’ disallowed goal, Hernandez urged Maeso to reconsider his decision as he said: ‘I recommend an on field review so that you can assess the non-handball, the possible non-handball.
‘The ball hits the right shoulder, there you have it. The ball hits him on the shoulder. You assess the possible foul in attack.’
After heading over to the pitchside monitor, Maeso responded: ‘I agree with you and the ball hits the shoulder. Give me one more frame. Perfect, he hits it with his shoulder and it’s a valid goal. I’m going to give the goal, there’s no foul.’
Despite the audio being released, this did little to reduce the anger of Almeria, with their official X account posting: ‘Why isn’t the referee shown the rest of the angles that we have been able to see on TV?’
It follows their understandable fury after the game, with the result leaving them with just six points from 21 LaLiga matches this season.
Almeria midfielder Gonzalo Melero had claimed his side ‘were robbed’ when speaking to DAZN post-game.
He said: ‘It pains me to say it, but there’s no other way to take it. And that’s not the first this year. What happened today went beyond all limits, it was unbelievable.
‘Nothing more could have been done for them to win the game.’
Almeria defender Marc Pubill also told DAZN: ‘I think that someone decided that we weren’t allowed to win here at Bernabeu today, and that’s what happened. Nothing more to say.’
His views were echoed by Edgar Gonzalez, who had put Almeria 2-0 up just before half-time, as he similarly questioned the integrity of LaLiga.
The defender fumed: ‘This is a competition that should be fair for everyone and sometimes it’s hard to see that.’
Speaking post-game, Carlo Ancelotti sympathised with his counterpart Gaizka Garitano, who was sent off for dissent in added time, but felt the calls were fair.
![Almeira boss Gaizka Garitano was sent off for dissent in added time after expressing his anger](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/22/09/80300143-12991103-image-a-5_1705916689782.jpg)
Almeira boss Gaizka Garitano was sent off for dissent in added time after expressing his anger
![The release of the VAR audio did little to reduce the anger felt by LaLiga's bottom side](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/22/09/80300655-12991103-image-a-22_1705917012754.jpg)
The release of the VAR audio did little to reduce the anger felt by LaLiga’s bottom side
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‘I understand Almeria’s anger with the VAR decisions, but I think they were well judged,’ he said.
‘It was a strange game, the first half was very bad. I judged yesterday’s training session poorly, it was a tired team.’
Real are one point behind surprise table-toppers Girona following the weekend’s action, with the LaLiga surprise package thrashing Sevilla 5-1 on Sunday.
They return to action next Saturday when they travel to the Canary Islands to take on Las Palmas.