Sevilla players Juan Iglesias and Kike Salas have criticised the officiating following their 4-1 defeat to Real Madrid, demanding explanations over an alleged elbow by Arda Guler on Peque during the first half.

According to a report by Madrid Universal on Monday, October 19, 2026, both players expressed frustration over the referee’s handling of the incident, with Iglesias calling for clarification and Salas insisting that the Turkish midfielder should have been sent off.

The controversial moment became a major talking point after Guler and Kylian Mbappe scored to help Real Madrid establish control of Sunday’s encounter. Sevilla’s players believe the incident involving Peque warranted a VAR review, questioning why the officials did not ask the referee to examine the situation more closely.

Speaking about the incident, Iglesias confirmed that the matter had been discussed by his teammates during the half-time break. Although he believed Peque had been fouled, the Sevilla defender stopped short of making a definitive judgement on whether the challenge deserved a red card.

“There was a foul on Peque in the first half. I saw the incident; it looks like a foul to me,” Iglesias said, according to Mundo Deportivo.

The defender also raised concerns about another decision involving Robbie Ure during one of Mbappe’s goals, suggesting that Sevilla had been left frustrated by several refereeing calls throughout the match.

Iglesias further questioned the difficulties players face when attempting to obtain explanations from match officials. He claimed that referees often prevent footballers from approaching them to discuss decisions made during games, making it difficult to understand the reasoning behind certain calls.

Salas, however, adopted a stronger stance regarding the alleged incident between Guler and Peque. The Sevilla centre-back argued that the midfielder’s reported elbow to the forward’s face was serious enough to warrant a straight red card.

“The incident stemmed from an elbow to the face, which is clearly a red card offence. It’s those little details that make all the difference,” Salas stated.

The defender also revealed that Peque had told his teammates he was struck in the face during the incident. Salas maintained that the forward had no reason to exaggerate the situation, particularly because medical staff were required to attend to him.

“He tells me he was clearly elbowed. He’s not going to dive, so the medical staff needs to come on,” he added.

Salas subsequently questioned why the VAR officials did not intervene or recommend that the referee review the incident on the pitch.

The alleged elbow has therefore become a source of considerable frustration for Sevilla following their heavy defeat to Real Madrid. While the players believe the incident deserved a closer examination, their comments reflect their interpretation of the challenge rather than an official determination that Guler committed a red-card offence.

Despite the controversy, the result leaves Sevilla reflecting on a difficult afternoon, with the debate over the officiating adding another talking point to an encounter dominated by Real Madrid’s victory.