According to a report by Madrid Universal on Tuesday October 27, 2026, Barcelona defender Joao Cancelo should have received a yellow card for stamping on Real Madrid winger Yan Diomande during Sunday’s El Clasico, according to Spain’s Technical Committee of Referees (CTA).

The committee reviewed the controversial incident during its weekly Tiempo de Revision programme after Real Madrid appealed for Cancelo to be sent off during the match at the Spotify Camp Nou.

Referee Martinez Munuera did not issue a card, while the video assistant referee (VAR) also decided against intervening.

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho criticised the decision after his side secured a 2-1 victory over Barcelona, insisting that Cancelo’s challenge deserved a red card.

“The referee was great but the VAR was sleeping on minute 60. There was a clear red card for Cancelo’s foul on Diomande,” Mourinho said.

However, the CTA disagreed with Madrid’s demand for a dismissal, concluding that the challenge was reckless but did not involve the excessive force or brutality required for a red card.

“Cancelo makes partial contact with Diomande’s leg; there is no excessive force or brutality,” the committee explained.

Despite ruling out a red card, the CTA maintained that the Barcelona defender should have been cautioned for his challenge on the Real Madrid winger.

The committee also reviewed a potential handball by Barcelona defender Alejandro Balde inside his team’s penalty area but backed the referee’s decision not to award a penalty to Real Madrid.

According to the CTA, the ball struck Balde’s arm accidentally while it was in a natural position, meaning there was no punishable handball offence.

Real Madrid won the Clasico 2-1 thanks to a brace from Kylian Mbappe, reducing Barcelona’s lead at the top of La Liga to three points.