Despite accusations of "bias" circulating on social media, refereeing experts in Spain have unanimously affirmed the correctness of referee Munuera Montero’s decision, describing Neum’s challenge as "violent behavior."

Real Madrid regained the top spot in La Liga from their rivals Barcelona, increasing their tally to 24 points—just two points ahead of the Catalan club—ahead of their highly anticipated El Clásico on Sunday.

VAR Analysis Confirms Red Card The Twitter account "Archivo VAR," specializing in refereeing analysis, agreed with former referee Iturralde González, stating that the red card decision was "completely correct" and describing Neum’s tackle as "violent."

Controversy Settled: Neum’s Red Card Against Real Madrid ‘Violent and Justified’ The match between Getafe and visiting Real Madrid, which ended in a narrow 1-0 victory for the "Merengues" on Sunday in La Liga’s ninth round, sparked a refereeing controversy centered on Getafe defender Alan Neum, who was sent off less than a minute after entering the pitch.

Despite social media claims of favoritism, refereeing experts in Spain agreed that the referee’s decision was correct, labeling Neum’s challenge as "violent behavior."

Red Card Moment: 60 Seconds on the Field The most controversial moment occurred in the 77th minute. Getafe’s coach substituted in veteran defender Alan Neum for Keko Femenía. Seconds after stepping onto the field, Neum violently challenged Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr., prompting referee Montero to issue a straight red card without hesitation.

This immediate red card angered Getafe players and fans and intensified the tension in the match, which was ultimately decided by Kylian Mbappé’s solitary goal.

Experts Weigh In: ‘Violent Behavior’ Warrants Red Card Former Spanish referee Iturralde González analyzed the incident on Cadena SER radio, confirming the validity of the decision: "Neum stamped his foot on Vinicius’ knee. In my view, this is a straight red card, and VAR cannot intervene. Blocking a player at knee level when the ball is not in play is a direct red."

However, Iturralde criticized the on-field referee’s gesture to the fourth official, saying: "The worst thing he did was give a thumbs-up as if thanking the fourth official. Responsibility lies with the main referee."

The "Archivo VAR" account also agreed, calling the red card "completely correct" and labeling Neum’s tackle as "violent." It analyzed the clip: "With no contest for the ball, Neum stopped Vinicius with a hand to the face while simultaneously kicking him. This is violent conduct that warrants a straight red card."

Getafe Finishes with Nine Players Neum’s night was not the worst for Getafe, as a second red card was issued to teammate Alex Sánchez after a second yellow for a separate challenge on Vinicius Jr. Iturralde confirmed the yellow was deserved: "He didn’t aim for the ball, coming from behind and fouling, which warrants a direct yellow."

Madrid Tops La Liga Ahead of El Clásico With this hard-fought victory, Real Madrid reclaimed the La Liga summit from Barcelona, holding 24 points, two more than the Catalan side’s 22. This win sets the stage for a highly charged El Clásico between the two rivals on Sunday.