Almada fumes over VAR penalty drama in Oviedo's frustrating defeat
Real Oviedo's manager Guillermo Almada didn't hold back after controversial refereeing decisions cost his team in their match against Osasuna.
Oviedo boss left seething as contentious VAR calls deny his side what he believes was a deserved result.
”Only one head thought it wasn’t a penalty”
Guillermo Almada was having none of it after the final whistle. The Uruguayan gaffer was absolutely fuming following Oviedo’s defeat, where a penalty initially awarded for a Boyomo handball was later overturned after VAR review.
The manager didn’t mince his words, stating: “The only head that thought it wasn’t a penalty was the referee’s.”
It’s clear Almada felt proper mugged off by the officials, with his frustration boiling over in his post-match comments. According to the Oviedo boss, his side deserved much more from the game based on their performance and chances created.
Multiple penalty shouts ignored
The handball incident wasn’t the only decision that left Almada seeing red. He pointed to another clear-cut penalty shout in the first half when Chaira was stamped on - an incident he claims was completely ignored by officials despite being crystal clear.
What seemed to particularly wind up Almada was the apparent lack of consistency in refereeing decisions. He noted that a similar incident to the Chaira stamp was given as a penalty in Girona’s recent match, highlighting what he perceives as double standards in officiating.
Positives despite the result
Despite the disappointment, Almada tried to focus on some positives from his team’s display:
- Improved possession stats and a more proactive approach
- Creating clear-cut chances throughout the match
- Strong commitment shown by his players
“We’re going to give everything to turn this situation around,” Almada insisted, backing his squad to bounce back. “This is the way forward - to go out looking to impose ourselves and ensure the players continue representing the fans well.”
The Uruguayan remains convinced that if his team continues playing with this approach, better results will follow: “Playing this way, we’ll have more chances of winning than coming away with nothing like on this occasion.”
Oviedo will need to dust themselves down quickly as they look to climb the table in the coming weeks.