Real Madrid avoided defeat in Elche (2-2) in a match conditioned by refereeing controversies. The two goals scored by Xabi Alonso's team in the final stretch of the match were preceded by illegal actions that should have been sanctioned by the referees.

However, neither the main referee Francisco José Hernández Maeso nor Mario Melero López, in charge of VAR, noticed a handball by Jude Bellingham and a foul by Vinicius Jr. prior to the goals scored by Dean Huijsen and Bellingham himself.

Madrid was coming off two consecutive games without scoring (Liverpool and Rayo) and started losing with a goal from Aleix Febas in the 53rd minute. Later, in the 84th minute, Álvaro Rodríguez put the home team ahead again.

A 'Merengue' defeat would have returned the lead to FC Barcelona for the first time since matchday 8, but ultimately the 'White House' maintains the top spot in the standings with a 1-point advantage 'thanks' to refereeing errors at the Martínez Valero. 

Bellingham's Hand Before Dean Huijsen's 1-1

In the 78th minute, Dean Huijsen scored the partial 1-1 after a corner kick in favor of Real Madrid, where Bellingham managed to flick the ball towards the six-yard box, where the Spanish center-back appeared unmarked to push the ball into the net.

The English midfielder's assist, however, was illegal, as the ball hit his left arm after being headed by David Affengruber. The play was very difficult for the linesman or the main referee Hernández Maeso to see, which is why it had to be reviewed by VAR.

However, Melero López did not call the handball by Jude and the goal stood. The Elche players did not protest the play either, as the speed of the action made it impossible to see the ball hitting the English international's hand with the naked eye.

Vinicius's knee strike to Iñaki Peña before Bellingham's goal

Vinicius's foul on Iñaki Peña in Elche-Madrid (2-2)

The most controversial action of the Elche-Madrid match, however, took place in the 86th minute. After a shot by Bellingham that was only partially saved by Iñaki Peña, Vinicius Jr. went for the rebound, but instead of making contact with the ball, he ended up colliding with the Alicante goalkeeper

The play continued and Kylian Mbappé, on the byline, returned the ball to the center of the box, where Bellingham appeared to score at point-blank range. Peña could not recover, as the collision with Vinicius caused bleeding from his nose.

The Brazilian struck Iñaki's face with his left knee and, although VAR reviewed the play, it ultimately deemed it a natural part of the game and, therefore, there was no foul by Vini. In the post-match press conference, the goalkeeper on loan from Barça and the Éibar coach, Eder Sarabia, criticized the referee's decision.

Eder Sarabia and Iñaki Peña criticized the VAR decision after Vinicius's foul

"Vinicius's play, you've already seen his face. Iñaki says it's part of the game. He didn't see the play. He clears the ball and Vinicius kicks him. And that same play comes from a foul that wasn't a foul," Sarabia argued.

Iñaki Peña, who had told 'Movistar' that he did not believe there was malicious intent from Vinicius in the play, backtracked upon seeing the broadcast images. The goalkeeper ultimately lamented the VAR's stance and the match's outcome.

"**For me it is a foul because he goes for the ball and doesn't let me play...** but if the referee goes to VAR and says it's not... We can't do anything," the Barça youth player pointed out. In that regard, Eder Sarabia added: "It makes me angry to have to waste time on these things. There have been factors that have conditioned the final result."

With the draw, Elche remains undefeated at home and has 16 points, staying in 11th place in the standings. The 'franjiverdes', on their home turf, have accumulated 5 draws and 2 wins since their return to La Liga.