Back
La Liga president Javier Tebas has reportedly questioned the legitimacy of the penalty awarded to Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé during the club’s 3-0 victory over Racing Santander on Sunday, November 1, 2026.
Mbappé won the penalty in the opening minutes of the encounter after going down inside the penalty area following contact with Racing Santander midfielder Mateo Prati. The referee immediately pointed to the spot despite protests from the home team.
The French forward converted the resulting penalty to give Real Madrid an early lead, setting the tone for what eventually became a comfortable victory for the Spanish giants.
However, the decision has generated considerable debate among football analysts, former referees and supporters, with several questioning whether the contact was sufficient to warrant a penalty.
According to the statement attributed to Tebas, he said: “Yesterday, Mbappé’s penalty was not valid.”
His reported comments add to the growing controversy surrounding the officiating decision, particularly the failure of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) to recommend an on-field review.
Former referee Eduardo Iturralde González also criticised the decision, arguing that the contact between Prati and Mbappé was insufficient to justify a spot-kick.
Real Madrid manager José Mourinho also reportedly questioned the decision after reviewing the incident, adding another dimension to the post-match discussion.
Despite the controversy, the penalty stood, and Mbappé's goal counted as Real Madrid secured all three points with a 3-0 victory.
The incident has once again raised questions about refereeing consistency and the application of VAR in La Liga, with the debate over the decision continuing beyond the final whistle.