Iturralde lashes out at the CTA after the grotesque expulsion of Bretones at the Bernabéu

The match that closed the first day of LaLiga EA Sports 25/26 between Real Madrid and Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabéu (1-0) generated many criticisms of the refereeing. After the expulsion of Abel Bretones for a challenge on Gonzalo García, Iturralde González was the first to lash out at the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA).

"This first week, due to logistical issues, which I will be telling you about, and due to final details that are not closed, they are not going to come out to explain the controversial plays," the former referee told the 'Cadena Cope' who has direct contact in the CTA.

Bretones was sent off for a slap on Gonzalo in the fourth minute of added time. Both players were running in the dispute for a ball and, although the 'rojillo' player, indeed, hit the face of the Madrid striker, it was a contact without bad intention that should have been sanctioned with a yellow card.

Although the main referee Adrián Cordero could be called by the VAR to correct the direct red card, there was no call and the decision was maintained. After the match, coach Alessio Lisci criticized Abel's expulsion, as well as Juan Cruz's penalty on Kylian Mbappé that gave the 'merengues' the victory.

"The CTA did not promise that it was going to come out every week. They are analyzing how they can do it. They are trying to refine for transparency who is going to choose the plays, how they are going to choose them and who is going to speak"

Mateu Lahoz: Bretones should only have been cautioned

Since his retirement from refereeing, Antonio Mateu Lahoz is a commentator for 'Movistar'. The former midfielder issued his point of view regarding the play between Bretones and García.

"It is the number one assistant who sees it. You can't say if they will call the VAR little or much. It's a yellow card. What you should value is the action and this case does not affect Gonzalo's physical integrity," Lahoz expressed in disagreement with referee Adrián Cordero.

Apart from Lahoz's comment, also the narrator of the Cadena Cope, Manolo Lama, expressed his disagreement with the expulsion where he said that "if he shows a red card, he must expel the assistant and the referee."

The new CTA promised more transparency than in previous seasons

The new CTA, headed by Francisco Soto, began this season of LaLiga EA Sports 25/26 with modifications in the refereeing designations, with publishing the referees one day before the matches are held, something unprecedented in Spanish football.

Since this summer, the members of the Committee will use AI as a key tool to obtain objective data that help the designation process and referee according to performance and status. We will see if Cordero's actions in the controversial expulsion of Abel Bretones will be evaluated in the future to take possible measures.